Ps 24:1b-2, 3-4ab, 5-6
Lk 17:1-6 Full Readings
Increase our Faith
Today's Gospel has three parts with fundamental teachings of Jesus which help us to live well as Christians. The first part is about not causing someone to sin, for one who causes one to sin, will receive a punishment even beyond the one who is tied with a milestone in the neck and thrown into the sea. The second part is about unlimited forgiveness, for a brother sins against you seven times a day and comes seven times asking for forgiveness, you should forgive him. The last part is the necessity of faith to move mountains, for if we had faith big as the mustard seed, we would say to a tree to be uprooted and then be planted in the sea. Let us take time to reflect on each.
In a real sense, nobody causes us to sin. Sin is our own free choice, and we, and we alone, will be held accountable for our own sin. One thing that Jesus is pointing out here is that even though every person must take responsibility for their own actions and their own sins, we must also take responsibility for the ways that we act as tempters of others. We are all sinners. Therefore, by our sin, we will all tempt others to sin. Sometimes we will tempt people to sin by provoking them to anger. At other times we will tempt others to sin by setting a poor example. And on the contrary, we also can “tempt” people to virtue. Or more properly speaking, to inspire and encourage them. We should always take the second option, of inspiring people to holiness not leading people to sin, for anyone who causes a little one to sin, will suffer harder consequences. The little ones of which Jesus speaks should be understood as those who are weak in faith, overly sensitive, particularly vulnerable at that time in their life, and susceptible to outside influence. If we teach another to sin, he or she in turn may teach still another, until a train of sin is set in motion with no foreseeable end.
Jesus then gives us another way of living together, unlimited forgiveness. The theme of forgiveness is the life’s-blood of any Christian community. We cannot live together without upsetting one another, unwittingly, or even deliberately. So, forgiveness is a vital step. It expands and stresses our petition in the Lord’s Prayer, ‘Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive others.’ We all pray our Lord's Prayer but do we mean what we pray or we are condemning ourselves as we ask forgiveness on the condition that we have forgiven others. If we haven't forgiven and then we pray this prayer, then we are just condemning ourselves. We should also try by all means to avoid sin for the spirit of the Lord cannot dwell where sin is. Sinning makes us lose the gift of the Holy Spirit which God gives. Therefore, we should not use the theme of forgiveness, as a scapegoat for sinning.
Lastly, we should also join the disciples in sling Jesus to increase our Faith. Faith is a response to what God has revealed to us. However, it is also a gift from God and on this Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD), comments, "They ask, 'Add faith to us.' They do not ask simply for faith, for perhaps you might imagine them to be without faith. They rather ask Christ for an addition to their faith and to be strengthened in faith. Faith partly depends on us and partly is the gift of the divine grace. The beginning of faith depends on us and our maintaining confidence and faith in God with all our power. The confirmation and strength necessary for this come from the divine grace. For that reason, since all things are possible with God, the Lord says that all things are possible for him who believes (Mark 9:23). The power that comes to us through faith is of God. Knowing this, blessed Paul also says in the first epistle to the Corinthians, 'For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit, and to another faith in the same Spirit' (1 Corinthians 12:8). You see that he has placed faith also in the catalogue of spiritual graces. The disciples requested that they might receive this from the Savior, contributing also what was of themselves. By the descent upon them of the Holy Spirit, he granted it to them after the fulfilment of the dispensation. Before the resurrection, their faith was so feeble that they were liable even to the charge of being 'little of faith'." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILIES 113-16). We have faith in God but let us continue to ask for the gift of faith every day.
Reflect today on the three fundamental teachings of Jesus in today's Gospel. Pray that these teachings will enter your heart and always practice them. May the Lord increase our Faith
Let us Pray
Lord Jesus, you give us victory over the destructive forces of sin and harmful desires that keep us from doing your will. Give me the strength to always choose what is good and to reject what is wrong. May your love and truth rule my heart so that I may give a good example to others and guide those who need your wise instruction and help. Amen
Be blessed
No comments:
Post a Comment