Increase My Faith!

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time
07 October 2007


First Reading Habakkuk 1:2 - 2:4
How long, O Lord, am I to cry for help
while you will not listen;
to cry ‘Oppression!’ in your ear
and you will not save?

Why do you set injustice before me,
why do you look on where there is tyranny?
Outrage and violence, this is all I see,
all is contention, and discord flourishes.

Then the Lord answered and said,
‘Write the vision down,
inscribe it on tablets
to be easily read,
since this vision is for its own time only:
eager for its own fulfilment, it does not deceive;
if it comes slowly, wait,
for come it will, without fail.

‘See how he flags, he whose soul is not at rights,
but the upright man will live by his faithfulness.’

Second Reading 2 Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14
I am reminding you now to fan into a flame the gift that God gave you when I laid my hands on you. God’s gift was not a spirit of timidity, but the Spirit of power, and love, and self-control. So you are never to be ashamed of witnessing to the Lord, or ashamed of me for being his prisoner; but with me, bear the hardships for the sake of the Good News, relying on the power of God Keep as your pattern the sound teaching you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. You have been trusted to look after something precious; guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

Gospel Luke 17:5 - 10
The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith’. The Lord replied, ‘Were your faith the size of a mustard seed you could say to this mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea”, and it would obey you. ‘Which of you, with a servant ploughing or minding sheep, would say to him when he returned from the fields, “Come and have your meal immediately”? Would he not be more likely to say, “Get my supper laid; make yourself tidy and wait on me while I eat and drink. You can eat and drink yourself afterwards”? Must he be grateful to the servant for doing what he was told? So with you: when you have done all you have been told to do, say, “We are merely servants: we have done no more than our duty”.’


Reflection
By Elizabeth R Eguia

Many times will I ask God for faith and wisdom especially when I am weak, when I am on the verge of falling down, tired and stressed out. Different trials go along the way. Some I can easily manage but some I cannot. I may know already what is the right thing to do, but sometimes at the middle of the battle I get lost. I need that strength to endure the battle and move on.

Each one of us undergoes these situations. It is not easy. But God will always tell me this. He believes I can manage these trials. And secondly, it will help reveal my true strength and become a better person.

The Gospel also mentioned “If you have faith even as small as a mustard seed you could ask the tree to move and it will follow you”. Amazing power was given to us. It is all in us. We just have to discover, learn, and use it. I know most of you will still ask: I have done everything but how come nothing is happening?

Always remember, first you have to believe it will happen. It may not be at your time, but God’s time. Secondly, be positive always as you wait for it to happen.

Here are some things that I do to remain positive. First, I make sure I pray and ask for it in the morning. Secondly, I read self help books, motivational materials about work, and daily living. Thirdly, I will always remind myself that I have control on what I do, what I think, what I believe in. As long as I know that I am doing the right thing by God’s grace, things will happen as I plan it. And you know, it surely does! That’s the power of faith and belief. Try it and you will be surprise.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the message You imparted in today’s Gospel. Continue to increase our faith as we face different struggles in life. We believe we can surpass them. Make firm Your hold on us and never let us slip from Your grasp especially when we are weak, lost, or about to give up. Instill in our minds, that by Your grace we will be victorious at the end. This we ask through Christ our Lord and through the intercession of Mother Mary. Amen.