Monday, November 7 32nd Week in Ordinary Time

TITUS 1:1-9

Paul, a slave of God and Apostle of Jesus Christ for the sake of the faith of God’s chosen ones and the recognition of religious truth, in the hope of eternal life that God, who does not lie, promised before time began, who indeed at the proper time revealed his word in the proclamation with which I was entrusted by the command of God our savior, to Titus, my true child in our common faith: grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our savior.

For this reason I left you in Crete so that you might set right what remains to be done and appoint presbyters in every town, as I directed you, on condition that a man be blameless, married only once, with believing children who are not accused of licentiousness or rebellious. For a bishop as God’s steward must be blameless, not arrogant, not irritable, not a drunkard, not aggressive, not greedy for sordid gain, but hospitable, a lover of goodness, temperate, just, holy, and self-controlled, holding fast to the true message as taught so that he will be able both to exhort with sound doctrine and to refute opponents. 

PSALM 24

R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
The Lord’s are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers. R. 
Who can ascend the mountain of the Lord?
or who may stand in his holy place?
He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain. R. 
He shall receive a blessing from the Lord,
a reward from God his savior.
Such is the race that seeks for him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.  R.

LUKE 17:1-6

Jesus said to his disciples, “Things that cause sin will inevitably occur, but woe to the one through whom they occur. It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck and he be thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he wrongs you seven times in one day and returns to you seven times saying, ‘I am sorry,’ you should forgive him.”

And 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.”

If you have faith the size of a mustard seed . . . (Luke 17:6)

“I didn’t think I was smart enough to go to college, but my teachers saw things in me that I couldn’t see. They helped me discover that I really can succeed!” 

Like the young man who made this remark, many of us can identify some achievement that we owe to the encouragement of a friend, spiritual advisor, or some other cheerleader. People like these help us see our potential; they push us to reach beyond our limited vision and accomplish what we thought was impossible. 

That’s what Jesus is doing for the apostles in today’s Gospel. He has just told them to forgive seven times a day—constantly. They respond to this seemingly impossible instruction with willingness and alarm: “Increase our faith” (Luke 17:5). It’s as if they’re saying, “We know we have some faith, but it’s far too small! Give us a greater ability to live according to what we believe.” 

How does Jesus answer? He tells them not to fixate on how small or inadequate their faith feels. He tells them that though their faith may be just “the size of a mustard seed,” they have sufficient faith to do everything he asks, even if it seems impossible (Luke 17:6).

Of course, Jesus wants us to keep growing in faith too. But how does that happen? By using it! The “small” faith that has already been planted in us has powerful potential. But in order to unleash all that potential, we have to act on it, just as Jesus’ first disciples learned to do. Remember how he sent them out to announce the kingdom, cure the sick, and expel demons? They went equipped only with their “small” faith and “returned rejoicing”—and maybe a little surprised—at the marvels they had worked in Jesus’ name (Luke 10:17).

What about you? God has given you a mission. Is he calling you to do something that feels beyond your level of faith? Repair a long-broken relationship? Pray with someone for healing, and expect a miracle? Don’t sell God—or yourself—short! God can use you just as he used the disciples “to accomplish far more than all we ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20). Take it one step of faith at a time, and watch what happens. 

“Jesus, I want to exercise the faith you have given me. Today I will move forward by ______.”