(Given at the 8:30 am and the 10:30 am Sunday Masses at OLP)
Mustard seeds are small. I have one in a vial, and man it’s tiny. Like a grain of sand. And yet, from this small seed comes a robust and hefty bush. The Lord’s analogy of the mustard seed with faith is both comforting and sobering. For those of us who think we can never spiritually live up to what’s required of us, who maybe doubt God’s favor and goodness, this is comforting. Even a small amount of faith is quite powerful. We can rest in the fact that the Lord can use our small faith to bring about great effects. For those of us who feel content with our size of faith, these words are a sobering reminder. Only God can grant perfect faith. The disciples even with their faith in Jesus, can’t seem to move mulberry trees, much less mountains! Following the disciples example, the solution becomes, increase my faith, Lord. Increase my faith, Lord. As unprofitable servants, we don’t deserve the gift of faith in the first place. But God is good, so good, to grant us faith despite, or maybe because of, our absolute neediness. Now, we cooperate with that faith and let the Lord move mulberry trees and mountains in and through us. Where can we reach out in faith this week, even in small faith, confident that the Lord will take care of the outcome?