Progressive Flux

Last Monday and Tuesday I was in Manila. My very first time to enter Christ the King chapel of SVDs in Quezon City. I had my confession last Monday and still attended the 6:00 evening mass the following day. I spent half hour in the Adoration Chapel also.

That experience is quite satisfying. It is very liberating to have reconciliation with the Lord. To see that something is happening with my faith. We will try, through the aid of the three readings, to look at how the Christian faith is productive and evolving.


First Reading Habakkuk 1: 2 - 3

2 O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and thou wilt not hear? Or cry to thee "Violence!" and thou wilt not save?
3 Why dost thou make me see wrongs and look upon trouble? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise.

Second Reading 2 Timothy 1: 6 - 8, 13 - 14

6 Hence I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands;
7 for God did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power and love and self-control.
8 Do not be ashamed then of testifying to our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel in the power of God,
13 Follow the pattern of the sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus;
14 guard the truth that has been entrusted to you by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.

Gospel Reading Luke 17: 5 - 10

5 The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!"
6 And the Lord said, "If you had faith as a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this sycamine tree, `Be rooted up, and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.
7 "Will any one of you, who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep, say to him when he has come in from the field, `Come at once and sit down at table'?
8 Will he not rather say to him, `Prepare supper for me, and gird yourself and serve me, till I eat and drink; and afterward you shall eat and drink'?
9 Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded?
10 So you also, when you have done all that is commanded you, say, `We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.'"


Commentary

How do you like the prayer, increase our faith. Do you still pray this? We need to be recharged everyday. I know that the disciples asked this because they need to be refilled with faith. Not only do we need to ask for increase of faith but so too for increase of knowledge, self control, wisdom, hope, and most of all love.

Always remember this, IT IS NOT THE SIZE OF OUR FAITH THAT MATTERS BUT THE SIZE OF THE GOD WE BELIEVE IN.

Application

Here are ways on how we can apply a little faith but a large God with us.

1. be confident after prayer. While it is good that we are self reliant we have to be prayerful before facing all the challenges of life everyday. It is our connection to God that should be trusted and not our own selves.

2. perform duties without expecting merits. If you believe that God will reward you, then you will not wait for something in return. God will provide for you if you are diligently working and toiling. People may not notice you but the attention of God is enough for a faithful who trust.

3. love God when it seems like there is nothing happening. Remember that God appointed right time to everything. You might feel like nothing is happening but every second, our large God is at work in your life.