After a couple weeks of long gospel stories, today we have a relatively short passage. After those two long parables about wealth and priorities addressed to the disciples and then to the Pharisees, Jesus turns his attention to the apostles. The Lectionary committee really should have included the four verses before this passage starts because we pick up in the middle of what should be a unified section.
In verses 1-2 Jesus warns about sinning against another. In verses 3-4 he talks about how you are to treat one who has sinned against you. It’s in this context of your committing sin and your forgiving those who sin against you where today’s gospel opens up. And it’s following these comments from Jesus that the apostles say, “Increase our faith!” because Jesus has just laid down some difficult teachings.
We all know that living in community is hard. Personalities, ideologies, feelings, and any number of other things pop up and generate conflict. And if you doubt that, think about all those churches that have split and splintered due to internal conflicts.
Part of this, I think, arises from our individualistic nature. It’s MY faith, MY beliefs, MY whatever. And when we feel constricted, or constrained, or challenged, we revert to, “You’re not the boss of me.” The first paragraph of Chapter 17 is reminding us that we have a responsibility to the community to ensure we are considerate to each other and to hold to ethical standards where repentance and forgiveness are honestly offered.
So it’s no wonder the apostles plead with Jesus to, “Increase our faith!”
A quick side note here: When Luke refers to “the disciples,” he’s referring to anyone who follows Jesus. When he refers to “the apostles,” it’s specifically directed at the twelve. One reason for this is that Luke wrote a two-volume set that has the twelve as major players in Jesus’ ministry and the establishment of the Church on earth. The apostles carry a heavy load of discipleship and leadership. Luke, seeing this heavy burden of leadership in the newly formed Church, has the apostles cry out, “Increase our faith!”
Jesus gives two answers in response. In the first he says, “If you had 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.”
Without understanding, this can be a dangerous place for people. Who among us hasn’t tried to move a tree (or a mountain) with just our faith? Who among us hasn’t tried praying for some impossible task only to fail? And who among us hasn’t wondered if we lacked the right amount of faith? Or, worse, who’s been told that you lack the right amount of faith and that’s why you failed or is why bad things happen to you?
I learned something a while ago (and sometimes I have to be reminded of it). We all know, or should know, that translations can be tricky. For instance, in maybe 100 or 1000 years people won’t know the difference between a butt dial and a booty call. We have this issue with “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed” in today’s gospel.
There were two forms of “IF” clauses in Greek. One was contrarian and one was conditional. A contrarian example would be, “You could do that, but if I were you . . .” Today’s statement is conditional and should be understood as, “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, AND YOU DO . . .” This isn’t a reprimand for lack of faith but an affirmation of the faith they have and a challenge to live into the full potential of that faith.
The same can be said for us. If we had faith the size of a mustard seed, AND WE DO, look what we could accomplish. Everything from the big stuff like the genesis and growth of the Food Pantry, the Harvest Hoedown, and the Surprise You Sale, to the small stuff like the prayer chain, knitting group, and Meals for the Soul.
The faith we have, the faith YOU have, is sufficient. This is not a competition. You have the right amount of faith to uproot trees and move mountains.
The second part of Jesus’ answer about faith is that we must never forget why we do what we do, or for whom we do it. We do what we do to worship the Lord. FOR WHOM we do what we do has many aspects, but it’s never for ourselves. Just as Jesus came not to be served but to serve, we must follow his example.
Nowhere in Scripture does Jesus say, “I am he who comes in the name of the Lord, worship me.” Nowhere do the apostles ever lord their position over what will become the Church.
Like the apostles, we must remember that what we do in here is in service to God and in service to others. We must also remember that what we do out there is in service to God and in service to others. Like the slave in today’s gospel who served the master both in the field and in the house, we are also to serve in the field and in the house.
To do all this – to live in community, to repent and seek forgiveness, to be willing to forgive, to make caring for our fellow human a priority – takes commitment and faith.
These are all difficult things for us to do over a long, consistent period. If we had faith the size of a mustard seed, AND WE DO, we will be able to move mountains and uproot trees. We have done great things in the Lord’s service and we will continue to do great things in the Lord’s service because we are a faithful mustard seed.
Don’t let anyone tell you any differently.
Amen.
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