Forgiveness and Faith

The WORD today (see http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/111218.cfm) reminds me that forgiveness and faith go hand in hand.

We base our perception of others on different things. We consider their past actions. We watch how they act. And we consider how they treat others and what others say about them. Good thing God does not act this way. God sees us a lot better than we see ourselves. God sees not only our past or current state, but more importantly, he sees what we can become if we allow Him to work in and through us. He sees not only the challenges we went through and sins we have committed, but also the goodness in us...current and potential goodness. 

It is hard forgive, especially if we are hurt by people closest to us. That is why when Jesus taught about forgiveness, his disciples asked him to help them forgive. What Jesus is asking from us, to always be ready to forgive, is not easy. Yet he asks it nonetheless…because he has faith in us, in our goodness, in our capacity to forgive.

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.”

The disciples asked Jesus to help them forgive, to increase their faith. Jesus said if we have faith the size of a mustard seed, then we can move mountains. 

Really, that small faith is enough?

I used to think that yes, that probably is enough. However, some say that it becomes enough not because the requirement is small, but because of God.

God has faith in us! 

It is his faith in us that increases the power of our little faith. It is his faith in us, our capacity to do good, our capacity to do great things through him, our capacity to love and to forgive, that enables us to do so, to move mountains, to forgive others even when we are deeply hurt, to love others the way Jesus wants us to. Yes, I believe that it is not just our faith, but God’s faith in us, that enables our mustard seed sized faith to do great things.

When we refuse to forgive, we are choosing to love ourselves more than we love God. We are choosing to hold on to the hurt and pain others caused us. But faith changes that. Having faith is trusting that God sees everything, and that God has a plan for everyone. He can heal us and make us whole. That is why forgiveness becomes easier because we have faith that as we do, God will continue to take care of us. 

How do I find forgiveness? Am I willing to forgive others, or do I value too much my pain and hurt? Do I have faith in God? Do I ask for faith? What do I do to increase my faith? 

May we make the decision to forgive, not because we are not hurt, but because God asks us and that we have faith that God will heal us and be with us in the journey. And May we not be disheartened by our little faith. May we pray that God increase our faith and do our part to increase it. And while we wait, may we do our part and allow Him to, and trust in Him that he will add to whatever little faith we have.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. thank you for another week. Thank you for all the blessings you have been giving me. Thank your the reminder. Lord, sorry for the times I refuse to follow you. Sorry for refusing to forgive. Sorry for loving myself more than I love you. Sorry for not having faith in you. Lord, Help me forgive others. Help me focus on you and your love, not on myself and my hurts. I pray that you continue to increase my faith in you, in your love and in your goodness. And while you are in the process of increasing my faith, I ask that you continue to complement my faith and continue to have faith in me. Your faith in me increases the power of my little faith, and I pray that as I continuously experience your love and faith in me, my faith will slowly and eventually increase as well. Amen.

Blessed Week!

In Christ,

-g-

Daily Readings

November 12, 2018

Memorial of Saint Josaphat, Bishop and Martyr
Lectionary: 491

Reading 1 TI 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. 

Responsorial Psalm PS 24:1B-2, 3-4AB, 5-6

R. (see 6) 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. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
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. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
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. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.

Alleluia PHIL 2:15D, 16A

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Shine like lights in the world,
as you hold on to the word of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 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."