Sunday 2 October

Twenty Seventh Week of Ordinary Time

Habakkuk 1:2-3; 2:2-4; Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9; 2Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14; Luke 17:5-10

Mustard seed

The apostles ask for greater faith. Curiously, the key is not great faith but faith in the great God. Even if their faith were only the ‘size’ of a mustard seed (and it is implied that theirs is more) God can still do great things through them. The challenge is to accept God as God – simply. The example of planting a tree in the sea is hyperbole – similar to the plank in our eye or cutting off limbs to prevent sin. Jesus is shocking us into thinking hard about his teaching.