A mustard seed is small, yet once it starts growing—watch out—it is hard to stop it.

The analogy that Jesus uses in this weekend’s gospel should give us all hope. Hope that once we get going, our faith will produce much good. But there can be many obstacles to faith’s initial launch and subsequent growth. We need to be ready and prepared to act upon faith’s plantings so that the harvest will be gathered.

In the first reading this weekend as well as in the gospel human impatience is seen: Habakkuk states “How long, O Lord, must I cry for help and you do not listen?” In the gospel, the apostles ask the Lord to “Increase our faith.” Impatient with the way things are progressing, the apostles—like Habakkuk—want God to take things into His hands and “make it so!” as Captain John Luke Picard would demand. We have to ask ourselves, how much faith do we have and can we get out there and pass along our beliefs to others—and then once faith has sprung, will we tend it, water and feed it so that it may take hold and grow—producing an abundant harvest. In the planting of faith what is required is knowledge of what we believe; knowing just the surface of faith will not hold us in place when suffering along. We need to, as the Lord said, “Go out into the deep,” and know our teachings and traditions—and what are behind them—so that we may apply them to our families. When we are called to tend the plantings of faith, do we support them knowledge? Do we dive deep into prayer and ask God to flood us with His grace; and do we listen when we ask Him for guidance? Do we give Him time to speak to us and let our hearts know His Will?

In order to plant, to water and nurture, and so harvest our faith. If all’s we do is say, “Yes, Lord, I believe” but do not get into faith with hands and heart and mind, we will have a very light harvest to take up. May this weekend’s prayer be one of a beginning…Lord, give me the heavenly wisdom to know Your truths and the courage to follow them. Like the first prayer of this column, the
Parents’ Prayer, may we be asked to ready and solid in the sacred duty which lies before us: the salvation of our soul and of those of whom we love.