THE SIZE OF A MUSTARD SEED

PRAYER MOMENT 

Monday 10 November 2014

THE SIZE OF A MUSTARD SEED

                     

Pause. Be still in God’s presence.

Reading: “Were your faith the size of a mustard seed you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted…’”  (Luke 17:1-6)

Reflection. Jesus noticed everything. He saw mustard seeds, mulberry bushes and fig trees. He saw sheep getting lost and hens gathering their chicks under their wings. The gospels are so rich and colourful and close to us. I don’t know about mustard seeds but clearly they were considered to be among the smallest of seeds. Jesus is talking about faith. Faith is a gift, like talent. I may have a talent for music but if I don’t use it and work hard to develop it the gift will lie fallow. So it is with faith. In the first place it is a gift. It is not something we can get for ourselves. But once it is there it has to be exercised, used. How do I grow in faith? The apostles asked the Lord, “Increase our faith.” His reply seems to be, “Use it.” We grow in faith by believing, by reaching out to the Lord and to people. It is indirect. You don’t set out to increase your faith but you set pout to use your faith and in so doing you grow in faith.  

Prayer. Lord, “increase our faith!” Help us to reach out to people, to believe in them, think the best of them. Help us to move out of ourselves and so grow in faith..  Amen.  

David Harold-Barry SJ