A Mustard Seed

In this weekend’s Gospel, the Apostles say to the Lord
Jesus, “Increase our faith.” Jesus replies, “Were your faith the
size of a mustard seed you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be
uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.’”
When everything seems to be going our way, the burden is
light and we appear to be on solid ground. At this time, the
act of faith comes easiest. However, when things begin to go
against us, when the burden becomes heavy and we feel our
spirits sinking, the act of faith comes hardest.
The disciples had to learn from Jesus that they were never
alone, never abandoned, however frightful the situation might
seem. They had to learn that the way to the fulfillment Jesus
promises is the way of the cross. They had to learn that the
cross comes first, then the resurrection.
You can decide for Christ or against Christ; that’s
anyone’s choice. However, when you decide for Christ, then
you have no choice except to follow his example of
unconditional obedience to the will of God; and to enlist your
whole self into the Christian community’s effort to witness, in
word and deed, to the mystery of God’s Kingdom. When
Jesus speaks metaphorically in the Gospel about a faith that
can uproot a mulberry tree and transplant it in the sea, he is
alluding to the power and strength that resides in the
Community of faith in which we all have a significant role to
play.
If today’s Christian community is to continue to turn the
world upside down, the combined total effort of all is
required! The resurrection power of God turned a little band
of despairing disciples into flaming set-the-world-on-fire
evangelists. It was not just the awesome, stupendous miracle
of Christ’s resurrection that made them true believers. It was
the fact that through this miracle, God had revealed to them, as
never before, who He is! What can be better news for us
today than that? Think about it!!