Less is More

“Increase our faith!” cry the disciples in today’s gospel (Luke 17:5). Maybe you have come to worship with the same hope. Our world and lives are full of challenges that constantly test our limits—the limits of our patience, our love, our hope, our capacity for justice and mercy. Wouldn’t it be nice to have as much of those things as possible? Wouldn’t that allow us to fix this broken world?

But Jesus’ response is exactly the opposite—when it comes to faith, he tells his disciples to think small—like the size of a minuscule mustard seed. While that may not sound like enough, it will be if we can let go of thinking we are in control. The power of faith, Jesus tells us, does not come from the quantity we possess; it comes from placing our trust in the one who possesses everything.

If our trust shifts from God to ourselves, no amount of faith will ever be enough. God did not make us to be masters, so when we place ourselves in that position, anxiety and overwhelm are sure to follow. Instead, Christ calls us to be servants of an abundance that we will never possess or control. This is the abundance of God’s kingdom—where faith, hope, and love exist without limit. Even the smallest amount of trust in this abundance is enough because it pins our hearts and hopes on the one who is truly in control.

The things this assembly of faith-seekers will offer one another today are small, but with just a mustard seed of faith they can be so much more. Here, simple human words can become the vessels of the divine Word, bringing healing and transformation to our lives. Here, drops of water can wash away sins and create heirs to God’s kingdom. Here, bread and wine can become the food that offers us life everlasting through Christ’s victory over death.

Devotional message and art based on the readings for October 2nd, 2022 reprinted from sundaysandseasons.com.
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