27TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME C

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BEST PROOF OF FAITH






How do you imagine a man or woman of faith?



…one who is always ready to defend the faith from its critics and detractors?



…one who thoroughly knows the Bible, the catechism and canon law?



…one who serves tirelessly in every church organization, movement or committee?



…one who spends his time in prayer, sacrifice, and contemplation?



When the apostles came to the Lord Jesus to ask him “Increase our faith,”



The Lord gave them the image of a robust faith – faith the size of a mustard seed.



Have you seen a mustard seed? Maybe not, and even if you did, maybe you could not,



since it truly was a minuscule, a tiny dot so easy to miss!



So faith has nothing to do with



…how loud your voice is in proclaiming or defending your faith



…how voluminous your knowledge is of the church’s doctrines and teachings



…how visible you express your faith through the Bible, scapulars, rosaries or medals around your neck



…how long you recite your prayers and devotions or how often you go to church.



True faith, for Jesus, is known by how small you look at yourself



in comparison with God



and in relationship with your brothers and sisters.



In other words, the true man or woman of faith is the one who humbles self out of love for Christ.



Jesus is the Humble One and there is no better way to follow him, to proclaim him, to share him

than to be humble too.



In the parable today, the Lord tells us the attitude he expects of the person of faith.



 “I am an unprofitable servant, I only do what God asks me to do.”





St. Bernadette Soubirous saw the Virgin Mary at Lourdes as a young woman.



When she entered the convent, she contented herself with the most menial of tasks -



caring for the sick Sisters and silently working in the sacristy.



She was so humble that the new Sisters did not even suspect that she was the visionary of France’s most famous shrine.



One day, she was asked about her role in the apparitions and she said:



“I was just a broom in the hands of the Virgin. When the work is done, the broom is put



behind the door again.”



We pray for an increase of faith, like the apostles.



The Lord replies that we must pray for more humility in order to obtain a more genuine faith.



Maybe it is time to pray for an increase of humility!


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