And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” // Luke 17:5
Sometimes when I read the Gospels, I look at the Apostles’ responses to Jesus and think: Gosh, they remind me of my middle schoolers! How many times have I delivered what I thought to be a brilliant lesson on some key doctrine of the Faith and then look expectantly and excitedly for my students’ reactions.
What questions will they have? How will they react? Will the discussion go the way I think it will?
Then, it happens, I ask, “Any questions?” A hand goes up; I call on the student and hear, “When’s the test?” In those moments I can practically picture Peter asking Jesus the same question after the Sermon on the Mount. Are they listening at all?
In today’s Gospel, though, the Apostles overcome their inner middle schoolers and get it right! They hear what the Lord presents to them, recognize that the weight of His sayings are beyond their capacity to truly receive, and cry out to him in prayer, “Increase our faith” (Matthew 17:5).
It heartens me and gives me strength to do the same when I also find it hard to be a disciple of Christ.
Sister, let us call out to Jesus today to increase our faith as we seek to follow Him more closely and grow in our capacity to receive all to which He invites us:
When we find it hard to follow You, increase our faith.
When confusion leads us astray, increase our faith.
When doubt takes hold in our hearts, increase our faith.
When life is filled with many questions and few answers, increase our faith.
When pain becomes a constant companion, increase our faith.
When Your words strike us to the heart, increase our faith.
When we lack confidence in leading others to You, increase our faith.
When we do not know the way to You, increase our faith.
When we doubt Your merciful love, increase our faith.
When You call us to surrender, increase our faith.
When we question Your desire for our good, increase our faith.
When our faith is smaller than a mustard seed, increase our faith.
Sister Maria Fatima grew up in Rhode Island and entered the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist in 2005. She holds a MA in Theology from the Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity. Sister is in her eleventh year of enlightening middle school minds and drawing hearts to Jesus while teaching religion and history. She currently resides at the motherhouse in Ann Arbor, MI, having previously taught in Texas, Florida, and Ohio. She is a contributing author to our Lent devotional All She Had.
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