The Vitality of the Mustard Seed in the Kingdom: Hab 1:2-3; 2:2-4; 2 Tim 1:6-8,13-14; Lk17:5-10 (27 /C)

 

The Vitality of the Mustard Seed in the Kingdom

 

Hab 1:2-3; 2:2-4; 2 Tim 1:6-8,13-14; Lk17:5-10 (27 /C)

The Lord is faithful in all his words and loving in all his deeds. Alleluia.

 

Today’s first reading comes from the Prophet Habakkuk.  Habakkuk lived around 650 years before the Lord.  It was a time of violence.  The Babylonians had conquered the Assyrians and were threatening or attacking the rest of the world, including the Kingdom of Judah.  The Jews themselves were continually assaulting each other.  Hatred and violence were seen as part of life, even accepted. Habakkuk’s society was not all that much different than ours, where violence and might are glorified and the weak are kept in their place. His society cried, “How long, O Lord? I cry for help, but you do not listen! I cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not intervene…”

 

Today’s Gospel begins with the apostles’ plea: “Lord, increase our faith!” and Jesus’ striking reply about the mustard seed. This plea speaks not only to our inner life, but also to how we live faith in society—through justice, solidarity, and love. Faith is not measured in size but in vitality. A little faith, like a mustard seed, can transform lives if lived sincerely. Spiritually, we are invited to pray like the apostles every day: “Increase our faith!”—not to perform wonders for ourselves, but to remain faithful in forgiving, loving, and persevering in hope. Faith is both God’s gift and our response. Faith calls us to see every person as created in God’s image. Our service is not just duty, but a recognition of Christ in others (Mt 25:40). Solidarity, just as faith moves mountains, must move us into communion with the suffering of others as a preferential option (CCC 2448) as the Prophet Amos proclaimed (Am 7).

 

Even the “mustard seed” image reminds us that faith is organic, like creation itself—planted, nourished, and growing.  Our faith that obliges us to care for the earth is entrusted to us. Pope Francis, in his “Laudato Si” exhorted us to take our stewardship of God’s creation. The parable of the servant echoes Lumen Gentium (no. 31): every Christian—clergy, religious, and lay—is called to sanctify the world by humble service, not seeking reward but glorifying God. St. Augustine viewed faith as the foundation of charity, as without faith, love cannot flourish. Faith is neither a purely intellectual nor a purely emotional attitude. From its intellectual side, it professes what we judge to be true. It is a matter of responding to feelings. These are a gift of the Spirit that moves us to give ourselves to God. If we let go of the illusion of being only for ourselves, it can bring us inner spiritual growth. Faith touches an awareness deep within us, an awareness of God’s presence guiding and helping us. It is an ongoing process, growing as we grow, changing as we change, maturing, and we mature as it was in the life of Abraham. Our childhood faith cannot sustain us in adulthood. It develops into something that lasts with us till the end of our lives.

 

Our world cries for faith that is alive. Faith does not hide in private prayer; it forgives enemies, serves the poor, protects creation, and defends human dignity. Let us not fear small beginnings—whether it is one act of kindness, one word of forgiveness, or one decision for justice. Like a mustard seed, these small acts grow into great signs of God’s Kingdom. And let us remember that when we serve others, we are not doing God a favor. We are simply living our vocation as disciples who know: “We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.”  All our family, professional, and social life, in the political, economic world, etc., has to be imbued with this spirit. “If you want to be useful, serve”, asserted St. Josemaría Escrivá; he wanted us to understand that “to be useful” we have to live a life of generous service without seeking honors, human glory, or applause. May the Lord increase our humble faith that serves and transforms the world. Then the mustard seed planted in our hearts will bear fruit in families, in society, and in creation itself.

 

May you be praised, Lord, and extolled for ever. Alleluia.