Increase our faith---LK17:5-10

Increase our faith---LK17:5-10

1. faith is a life in relation with God

Lord, increase our faith. When the disciples asked Jesus Christ to increase their faith, Jesus told them that "if you have faith the size of a mustard seed..."  Jesus reminded them to think what is faith? Faith is just like life, it is hard to give a definition. Faith is a life from God and in relation with God.  Our Pope Francis in his first encyclical, Luman Fidei, the light of faith, tells us that faith is the light of human life.  Faith is a gift from God. As human beings, we cannot invent our faith. Faith is not ours, We receive our faith from God. From Abraham to Mary, and to the disciples of Jesus Christ, they all have received their faith from God and started a new life.

As Christians, we also receive our new life from God in faith. Christian life is a life in faith. Like all the life, our Christian faith also needs to grow up toward maturity.

2. Faith grows up in a community

Faith grows up in Church community.  our God is a Trinitarian God, three persons in one.  Our Christian faith is also in communion with God and others.  As Christians, our faith can only grow up in a community of God's people. In his encyclical, Pope Francis mentioned importance of the faith of Israel and the faith of ecclesial (church). Each and every one of us has our faith, but our faith cannot be separated from our faith community, the holy Church. This is a reason, as Christians, we have to have a community life in praying together, coming to Church together, and listening to the teachings of Church together. From our CCD class to RCIA class, to every Sunday celebration, we grow up in faith day by day.

In our contemporary cultural situation, there is a misunderstanding that I can have my relationship with God, I do not need other Christians, I do not need Church. Please remember, you received the faith through baptism in the Church. You are educated of your faith in the Church, you belong to Church who is the mystical body of Jesus Christ our Lord.   Anyone who teaches you to separate from your Christian community, anyone who tells you not to listen to the Church teachings from Pope to local bishops, be careful, he or she just wants you to listen to him or her. We are born in Church community; we cannot have our faith through any philosophy or ideas.  

Christian faith belongs to Church and grows up with others as our brothers and sisters in a living community.

3. Fulfill one's responsibility is increasing one's faith

Faith is Christian life. In fulfilling our responsibilities, our faith will increase day by day. Faith helps us to do a good job in our daily life. Through this parable in today's gospel, Jesus tells us to fulfill our responsibilities to increase our faith. Many times, people will say, I have already very tired of working outside, I cannot help my wife or husband at home, I cannot education my kids, I do not have time to pray, and so forth.  No matter how tired you are, no matter how bad you feel, no matter how busy you are, your responsibility is you priority.  Serving is part of the responsibility of this servant, so he has to serve when he come back from work.  some of the contemporary cultures favor equality more than responsibility. Jesus reminds us to fulfill our responsibilities. "When you have done all you have been commanded, say, 'we are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.'"  Without fulfilling our obligations, we cannot grow up in faith, we will even loose our faith.  Christian faith never asks people to give up one's responsibilities, but helps people to fulfill their obligation in a better way.

 

Faith is a life from God and in relation with God and others, through Christian community, we have received our faith and will  grow up in faith. Fulfilling our responsibilities is a best way to increase our faith.