If you have faith the size of a mustard seed…
What does it mean to be a person of faith?
It can seem so difficult to have faith in God’s promises. The prophet Habakkuk is impatient for God to act on behalf of his community. How long, O Lord? he asks. I cry for help but you do not listen! Habakkuk is frustrated by what he perceives to be God’s abandonment in the face of the Babylonians’ attack on Judah. But God answers with a reminder: the vision still has time; if it delays, wait for it, it will surely come. Have faith, in other words – I will not abandon you! Paul’s Second Letter to Timothy contains similar advice: Stir into flame the gift of God that you have – have faith! Timothy’s ministry is a gift from God; he must trust, therefore, that the faith he has received will be enough, and that, if he remains true to the spirit God gave him – a spirit of power and love and self-control – that spirit will win out. Timothy simply has to have faith!
For, as Jesus reminds the apostles who ask him to increase their faith, that faith is a free gift from God; it is not theirs to wield or to control but to open to. If they accept the gift God has given them – if they have faith the size of a mustard seed – then that is more than enough. The parable of the unprofitable servant that follows reminds the apostles that they are not to expect God to be grateful because they have followed God’s commands, but rather, they should simply have faith and participate in what God has called them to do, remaining true to it, open to it. Faith makes the impossible possible, though it will rarely fit our expectations.
It is from that place of faith and trust in God’s promises that we can, as Psalm 95 calls us to do, sing joyfully to the Lord and come into his presence with thanks! We worship and give praise to God not because God does what we want, but because God does all that God does. God is the Rock of our salvation; he has sustained all people of faith and will continue to do so, so long as we remain open to the gift that we have, a gift of strength, the gift of faith!
This post is based on Fr. Pat’s Scripture Class.
Image source: www.wordclouds.com
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