27th Sunday of Ordinary Time
First Reading: Habakkuk 1:2-3,2:2-4
How long, O LORD? I cry for help but you do not listen! I cry out to
you, "Violence!" but you do not intervene. Why do you let me see ruin;
why must I look at misery? Destruction and violence are before me; there
is strife, and clamorous discord. Then the LORD answered me and said:
Write down the vision Clearly upon the tablets, so that one can read it
readily. For the vision still has its time, presses on to fulfillment,
and will not disappoint; If it delays, wait for it, it will surely come,
it will not be late. The rash man has no integrity; but the just man,
because of his faith, shall live.
Second Reading: 2 Timothy 1:6-8,13-14
Beloved,
I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through
the imposition of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of
cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control. So do not be
ashamed of your testimony to our Lord, nor of me, a prisoner for his
sake; but bear your share of hardship for the gospel with the strength
that comes from God. Take as your norm the sound words that you heard
from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Guard this rich
trust with the help of the holy Spirit that dwells within us.
Gospel Reading: Luke 17:5-10
The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith." The Lord replied,
"If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this
mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey
you. "Who among you would say to your servant who has just come in from
plowing or tending sheep in the field, 'Come here immediately and take
your place at table'? Would he not rather say to him, 'Prepare something
for me to eat. Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink.
You may eat and drink when I am finished'? Is he grateful to that
servant because he did what was commanded? So should it be with you.
When you have done all you have been commanded, say, 'We are
unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.'"
Reflection: Fr. Sahaya G Selvam
The gospel text of today begins with the request of the apostles to Jesus: “Increase our faith.” And Jesus replies, “If you had faith like a mustard seed you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea’, and it would obey you” (Lk 17:5-6). Often people quote these lines implying that if you had enough faith you could perform a show of miracles. This could well be the case. However, in the lines that follow (Lk 17:7-10) Jesus seems to imply something else. He talks about the fulfilment of duties.
So, is Jesus saying, if we had faith like a mustard seed our ordinary activities of daily life could become extraordinary? I tend to think so. So then, here we have the first clue on how we can move towards holiness: add a little bit of faith to the fulfilment of our daily duties. Jesus says, “When you have done all you have been told to do, say, “We are merely servants: we have done no more than our duty” (Lk 17:10). When we add faith to our daily work, we begin to participate in the creative and redemptive work of God.
So, is Jesus saying, if we had faith like a mustard seed our ordinary activities of daily life could become extraordinary? I tend to think so. So then, here we have the first clue on how we can move towards holiness: add a little bit of faith to the fulfilment of our daily duties. Jesus says, “When you have done all you have been told to do, say, “We are merely servants: we have done no more than our duty” (Lk 17:10). When we add faith to our daily work, we begin to participate in the creative and redemptive work of God.
