By Rev. Canon David B. Tabo-oy
5The apostles said to the Lord, “Make our faith greater.”
v6The Lord answered, “If you had faith as big as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Pull yourself up by the roots and plant yourself in the sea!’ and it would obey you. v7″Suppose one of you has a servant who is plowing or looking after the sheep. When he comes in from the field, do you tell him to hurry along and eat his meal? v8Of course not! Instead, you say to him, ‘Get my supper ready, then put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may have your meal.’ v9The servant does not deserve thanks for obeying orders, does he? v10It is the same with you; when you have done all you have been told to do, say, ‘We are ordinary servants; we have only done our duty.’”
Luke 17:5-10
These five verses of the Gospel lesson appointed this Sunday have dovetailed two Christian virtues that the world needs today: faith and duty. Practicing our Christian faith would surely make our duty to God and neighbour prolific and feasible even if the situation seem unbearable. Conversely, fulfilling our duties drawn from the Christian tenets surely make our faith stronger and encompassing. This is the gist of our Lord’s command, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and the most important commandment. The second most important commandment is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as you love yourself.’(Matt.22:37) Our love to our neighbour no matter who they are – is made possible by our love of God and is made likely by our faith in Him as well. Faith and duty merged to make us good and faithful disciples.
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How many times have we wished that we could overcome the vices, bad habits or compulsion that keep us in bondage? We know what it is like to struggle with the effects of these negative attitudes and the idiocy these bring to our life. We may feel despair and wonder if there really is any way out of the insanity of our current circumstances. Maybe our plight is impossible, at least without God’s help, but faith can make even the impossible happen. Faith is a mysterious commodity. Jesus says that if we have faith, real faith, it only takes a small amount to make a big difference. We may be exercising faith without realizing it. It takes faith to believe that a Power greater than our self could restore us to stability. It is comforting to know that God only needs a tiny bit of faith in order to work in powerful ways to restore us.
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Jesus makes an amazing statement. He says if our faith is no bigger than a tiny mustard seed, we can move mountains. He also tells that life will be difficult. There will adversity in life, especially as we live out our Christian beliefs, and we can’t expect rewards for living the faithful life, and the duties they entail. It is these little seeds of faith that will give us the boosts we need to get up the rough sides of the mountains we encounter as we struggle to fulfil our Christian obligations. Let us always remember that there is no guarantee that troubles won’t come just because you serve the Lord. There is no guarantee that you won’t have financial trouble even when you give to the Lord. There is no guarantee that you won’t face health problems even when you are devoted to the Lord. We feel like God hold some cosmic balance sheet and if we do good, then He will reward us with good and if we do bad He will reward us with bad. Wrong!
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We have yet to do anything good apart from Him! So why do we think that He should reward us for what He did through us in the first place? God doesn’t owe us anything; but the blessing is that He will reward faithful service, not to mention the rewards in His kingdom… and Heaven itself for that matter. As “Servants of Christ” we have got to have the proper mindset. We have got to realize that He is the Master and we are the slave! Hence, we must be steadfast in our service. Remember what Paul said about this – v”So then, my dear friends, stand firm and steady. Keep busy always in your work for the Lord, since you know that nothing you do in the Lord’s service is ever useless.” (1 Corinthians 15:58). Your labor is never in vain when you are a “servant of the Lord” Be steadfast in your service to Him! Indeed, our relation to God makes obedience to God a duty to be fulfilled and not an occasion for a reward.
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One day during Colonial times a “dark day” occurred. When the sun seemed to disappear at midday, the people were so alarmed that many of them began to cry, thinking that that the world was coming to an end. Even the legislature was disturbed and confused. Some wanted to adjourn without delay. One stalwart member said, “I make a motion that we secure some candles and proceed with our business. If the end of the world is about to come, I want to be found doing my duty.”
According to Winston Churchill, “Duty is the most sublime word in the English language.” (The Speaker’s Quote Book)
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The disciples request more faith as they become increasingly aware of the demands the gospel will place in their lives. It is hard to tell if Christ’s answer about having faith the size of a mustard seed is a word of rebuke or encouragement. Jesus warns the disciples that the demands on their faith will be great, and there will be few rewards as they live out their commitment (their duty) to God’s will. When we are tempted to stray into the secondary questions of our faith journey, Christ calls us to return to the basics, to put things first in our personal and communal Christian lives. The more we are able to rest on the foundational tenets of our faith, the more able we are to persevere in the Christian life.
Let us pray.
Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray, and to give more than we either desire or deserve: Pour upon us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask, except through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our Savior; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (ECP-BCP p136-137)
