More! More! This is the cry of the world. More power, more wealth, more physical comforts and we will be satisfied! In Luke 17:5-10, Jesus’ disciples plead for more. But they are not asking for more physical comforts. They are asking for more faith, “Lord, increase our faith.” The disciples plead for more faith against the background of Jesus’ teaching that forgiveness in our earthly relationships is central to the right relationship with God. If a person sins, Jesus said, he should be confronted and if he repents, he should be forgiven. Forgiveness is to be offered as many times as the person sins and repents. It is often challenging to forgive when someone hurts us. How much more difficult it must have been to hear Jesus’ teaching of limitless forgiveness (seven times) for repeated offenses! To strive to obey this seemingly impossible teaching, the disciples expressed the need for “more faith,” a boost in their spiritual capacity for faithfulness.
The disciples trusted in Jesus’ power, but what was the motive of their hearts? Was it to “receive faith” for personal glory; to make themselves appear stronger, braver or holier? Or was it to give life to the offender? Earlier in Luke’s gospel (9:46), after Jesus told His disciples of His impending betrayal, the disciples focused on themselves, arguing about who is the greatest. Jesus rebuked them saying, “the least among all of you is the greatest.”
Jesus aware of the disciples’ inner thoughts, perceived once more, their need and ours, to grow in humility, to become “the least”. Life with Jesus is not centered on the glory of self through the appearance of great faith, but on exalting Christ by becoming Christ-like servants, enabling our beings to be conduits of His power, His light, His abounding love. Being in Christ, His power enables faith, even the size of a tiny mustard seed to accomplish what seems impossible.
Being in Christ is rooted in life-giving qualities such as love, humility, and mercy. As we are awakened to see that God so lavishly loves us, that He sent Jesus to offer us abundant life, we grow in acknowledging our unworthiness, and our need for the constant forgiveness which He offers. We are overwhelmed by the depth of His love and submit our lives to sharing Christ’s life-giving message of love and forgiveness through our lifestyle.
This Sunday, we celebrate the Feast of St. Francis. In St. Francis’ early life he sought his own glory. As he was awakened to God in Christ, he renounced earthly desires and lived a new life of prayer and selfless service. He learned that “life is more than food and the body more than clothing” (Luke 12:23). His humble life confessed that service to God points the way for others to see God and we deserve no rewards. “We have only done what we ought to do.”
Jesus’ wise response to the disciples’ plea for increased faith keeps us sober. Like St. Francis, our loving service in God’s name expresses our zeal to be utterly dedicated to the God of our Lord Jesus Christ. And by His Spirit, genuine faith springs up from the depths of our surrendered souls.
Prayer: Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to you, so guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our wills, that we may be wholly Yours, utterly dedicated to You, and then use us we pray, as You will, and always to Your glory and the welfare of Your people; through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
