The apostles ask Jesus to increase their faith, but in reality, they are not utilizing the faith they already possess. If they used even a tiny portion of it, they could accomplish great things. In many ways, this passage is reminiscent of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz; she had the power of the ruby slippers all along, but she didn’t know how to tap into it to make her way back home.
In our daily existences, do we really utilize the gifts and talents that God has given us? Or do we become lazy and unprofitable?
In other words, our faith needs to be actualized. Faith is a verb, not a noun. It is something that we exercise. It is not enough to simply say “I am a Christian.” We also need to demonstrate that we live what we believe.
This past week, we celebrated two great saints: St. Therese of Lisieux, our patroness, and St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals. Both held simple outlooks on life, yet they had a profound impact on the world. St. Therese’s “Little Way” inspired millions of people to do small things that make a difference in others’ lives, and St. Francis challenged the way we look at the poor and dispossessed, as well as how we interact with God’s creation.
May these two saints inspire us to actualize our faith so that we begin to use even a mustard-seed-sized portion of it to change the world.
