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 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.” (Luke 17:5-10)

Reflection - Does God listen?

“Are you listening, God?” That’s the cry of the prophet Habakkuk in the first reading for this Sunday.

Everyone can resonate with Habakkuk’s feelings of frustration and anger at the appalling injustice he witnesses. ‘Why is God so slow to act?’, he complains.

God’s response to Habakkuk is a call to greater trust and faithfulness. God will answer, but not, perhaps, as quickly, or in the manner, Habakkuk would like.

The idea of faithfulness links the first reading with today’s Gospel and the apostles asking Jesus to increase their faith. What disciples on the ‘way of Jesus’ need more than anything is a deepening faith in the God of Jesus Christ who can and will rescue them from opposition and other destructive forces.

Jesus says that even a small amount of faith can bring about quite unexpected and seemingly impossible things - like uprooting a mulberry tree and planting it in the sea!

Essential to the faithful following of Jesus is letting go of the ego needs for power, wealth and position and living a life of faith in God and faithful following of Jesus which is expressed in true ministry to others.

Faithful disciples work diligently as servants of the Kingdom, not for rewards and honours, but keenly aware of God's free graciousness to them and the need to extend that graciousness to others.

Download to read or print our Celebrating At Home prayers, reading and reflection for this Sunday:

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