27th Sunday in Ordinary Time
 October 2nd, 2022

irst Reading:  Habakkuk 1:2-3, 2:2-4 
Psalm 95 R: O that today you would listen to the voice of the Lord. Do not harden your hearts!
Second Reading:  2 Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14
Gospel Accl.Verse: the word of the Lord endures for ever; that word is the good news announced to you.  
Gospel: Luke 17:5-10
Theme:  Having the faith of a mustard seed.

Commentary: by Jane Prini 

The apostles asked Jesus to help them increase their faith. He answered that “if you had faith the size of a mustard seed you could say to a mulberry tree, ‘May you be uprooted and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you!” (Luke 17:6). 

Have you ever seen the size of a mustard seed? It is one of the tiniest seeds, yet it can grow as tall as 12 feet (4m), (see pictures). People now use mustard seeds as a symbol of faith. Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (Hebrews 1:11)

Jesus was telling his apostles, and us, that God is so powerful that if our faith is even as small as this tiny seed, we can do incredible things through his power. His point was that we only need a little faith for things to happen. Why do you suppose that is? Because what happens is not dependant on us, but instead on God. God has the power to do anything. We know that God is FOR us, that he is purest of love, so we can trust whatever he does. God shows his love for us through many blessings, graces and gifts. He only asks us to choose to believe in him, in Jesus and in the help of his Holy Spirit.  

We know that God is always with us, that he has a plan for each one of us and wants so very much for us to put our trust in him and obey him. He wants us to see him as our VBF… very best friend.

When you read the second part of this gospel; “We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!” did you think “wait, what?” I sure did. Then I saw that this is to remind us that God does not have to show us all this love, he chooses to. Do you often feel unworthy of God’s love? Maybe you hurt someone’s feelings, or got angry at your sibling or friend and did not ask to be forgiven. You feel badly, so wander if God would still want you as a friend. God made us and knows we fail to show love to others, yet he assures us that nothing we do can make him stop loving us. Isn’t that awesome? 

To be kind, thoughtful and obedient is what we do because we are so grateful that God loves us even when we do not behave in these ways. We don’t ‘earn’ our way into heaven. Jesus has already saved us for heaven. Our life is about choosing to remember we are God’s child and obeying him, because we are so grateful for his love. With God’s grace we can be a better disciple of Jesus today than we were yesterday. Grace is understood as a service or mercy freely given, not earned.

May your mustard-seed faith grow like a tall mustard tree to give God glory.

Discussion starters: (Choose one or more of these after reading today’s scripture readings)

1. Have you seen the size of a mustard seed? Discuss how this compares to our faith in God.
2. Discuss how our gratitude for God’s abundant love helps us to be more loving to others.

Prayer for Families: Heavenly Father, we ask today for a mustard seed sized faith. Help us to believe and never doubt your mighty power, through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son who lives and reigns with you in unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. AMEN.

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