The texts from the Roman Catholoic Lectionary today invite us to assess the expressions of faith in our actions that work with the Spirit to transform our environment.
The reading from the Letter to Titus prescribes his mission in Crete.
* [1:5–9] This instruction on the selection and appointment of presbyters, substantially identical with that in 1 Tm 3:1–7 on a bishop (see note there), was aimed at strengthening the authority of Titus by apostolic mandate; cf. Ti 2:15. In Ti 1:5, 7 and Acts 20:17, 28, the terms episkopos and presbyteros (“bishop” and “presbyter”) refer to the same persons. Deacons are not mentioned in Titus. See also note on Phil 1:1. (Titus, CHAPTER 1, n.d.)
Psalm 24 is a prayer on entrance into the Temple.
* [Psalm 24] The Psalm apparently accompanied a ceremony of the entry of God (invisibly enthroned upon the ark), followed by the people, into the Temple. The Temple commemorated the creation of the world (Ps 24:1–2). The people had to affirm their fidelity before being admitted into the sanctuary (Ps 24:3–6; cf. Ps 15). A choir identifies the approaching God and invites the very Temple gates to bow down in obeisance (Ps 24:7–10).
* [24:4–5] Lit., “the one whose hands are clean.” The singular is used for the entire class of worshipers. (Psalms, PSALM 24, n.d.)
The Gospel of Luke warns about temptations to sin and shares some sayings of Jesus.
* [17:3] Be on your guard: the translation takes Lk 17:3a as the conclusion to the saying on scandal in Lk 17:1–2. It is not impossible that it should be taken as the beginning of the saying on forgiveness in Lk 17:3b–4. (Luke, CHAPTER 17, n.d.)
Gladyce Janky comments that today’s reading offers guidance for growing faith and trust.
Finally, I hear in this reading that increasing my faith is more than just asking Jesus to transform me instantly. Faith and trust unfold over my life as I accept God’s invitation to embrace total surrender, which Ignatius prayed for in the Suscipe.
Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,
my memory, my understanding,
and my entire will,
All I have and call my own.
You have given all to me.
To you, Lord, I return it.
Everything is yours; do with it what you will.
Give me only your love and your grace,
that is enough for me.
May we each seek to grow our faith beyond the size of a mustard seed. (Janky, 2022)
Don Schwager quotes “To increase faith is to strengthen it by the Holy Spirit,” by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD).
"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 comes 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 fulfillment 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) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 17:1-6 comments that we may see the Lord do some amazing things in answer to our prayers, and this can surely increase our faith in him. And yet we all know that sometimes his answers to our prayers look very different than what we had expected or hoped for. This doesn’t mean that he hasn’t heard us, of course. Rather, because he is a great God, his ways are beyond our ways (see Isaiah 55:9). When we choose to leave the outcome of our prayers in his hands, we are giving our faith a chance to grow. We are choosing to believe that he is working, even when we can’t see it.
So let’s look at that little mustard seed of faith as a seed of trust as well, one that will grow in us as we continue to walk with the Lord. When we pray, let’s look to God’s greatness, not our own lack of faith. Let’s also place our needs and desires in his hands. As we do, we may see our faith increasing. Maybe not enough to cast a mulberry tree into the sea, but perhaps in some surprising and amazing ways nonetheless.
“Lord Jesus, with the little faith I do have, I place my trust in you.” (Meditation on Luke 17:1-6, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments on the developed ecclesiology in the Letter to Titus that points to the Pastoral Letters as written in the name of Paul. Jesus draws attention to those who cause others, children or anawim, to sin by their bad example. Friar Jude reminds us that the perfect number, seven, indicates that we have not limit on the number of times we forgive others.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, reflects on how his commitment to Christ and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit have continually helped him recognize God in other traditions.
And yet, at age fourteen, I was sent to study with the Franciscans in Cincinnati, Ohio, and they gave me a very ecumenical theological education.
One of the best courses I had was on the Hebrew Scriptures, which gave me a great love for Judaism… In 1969, when I was sent as a deacon to the Acoma Pueblo in New Mexico, …Indigenous peoples here had contemplative prayer long before we Franciscans ever appeared…. Starting in the 1960s, our increased interaction with Eastern religions in general, and Buddhism in particular, helped us recognize and rediscover our own very ancient Christian contemplative tradition. The Sufis’ deep love of mysticism, especially as expressed by their poets Rumi and Hafiz, often captures the stirrings of my own heart….My latest discovery was really Hinduism, which is considered the oldest world religion. In the early 1980s, I gave a retreat in Nepal; between talks I would just walk the old streets and walk into temples and try to remain invisible…. What do we think they’re bowing to except God, the Mystery?
Like the wind, the Spirit blows where it will (see John 3:8). (Rohr, 2022)
We reflect on the guidance of the Spirit on our spiritual journey as we petition God that our faith advance the transformation of the lives we encounter.
References
Janky, G. (2022, November 7). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved November 7, 2022, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/110722.html
Luke, CHAPTER 17. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved November 7, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/17?1
Meditation on Luke 17:1-6. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved November 7, 2022, from https://wau.org/meditations/2022/11/07/528477/
Psalms, PSALM 24. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved November 7, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/24?1
Rohr, R. (2022, November 7). Learning from Others — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved November 7, 2022, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/learning-from-others-2022-11-07/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Lord Jesus Increase Our Faith. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved November 7, 2022, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2022&date=nov7
Titus, CHAPTER 1. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved November 7, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/titus/1?1
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