For an audio homily:
Faith like a mustard seed
Like the apostles, we would like a stronger faith. “Increase our faith,” they ask Jesus. Give us faith that understands everything immediately and sees everything clearly–right away! We can hear ourselves asking for faith like that too.
In response, Jesus offers the image of a mustard seed. Look at this tiny seed, he says. With faith like this, you can accomplish the most impossible things. What does he mean?
A mustard seed is so small that you hardly can see it in the palm of your hand, Yet once in the ground it grows into a full sized tree, through cold and heat, nights and days, all kinds of weather. But it takes time.
Faith is like that. It grows, but its growth takes place over time, day by day, through the common experiences that come our way. God dwells in the ground of daily life and it’s there we meet him most of all. That’s why the psalm for today’s Mass insists: “If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.”
Today in countless little things, in unassuming moments, God speaks to us. God acts. And even as the moments slip by, God’s plan unfolds. We need a daily faith, a patient faith, a faith like the mustard seed, to wait until it reaches its completion. “The vision still has its time, presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint. If it delays, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late.”
A daily faith that watches God’s plan unfold in the course of things.
The Victor's Place 
I once was at a Bible Seminar and the presenter gave
each of the participants a mustard seed…….we could not believe
how small it was, like a speck of dust that you could easily blow
away. THE MUSTARD SEED only has real meaning when it grows up into a large bush or
small tree…so it is with my faith, it needs to be fed, to get stronger
and to grow….recently I was talking with a friend who is tormented
by great fear and anxiety about many things, sometimes she cannot sleep, sometimes she feels others are judging her or moving away from her.
Then she said ” the only thing that gives me peace and real protection
is when I pray my favorite prayer Psalm 90 where it says He will shelter
you under his wings, etc.” What was so amazing to me was the deep
and mature faith of this person, even though they were suffering….
I have no doubt the Lord will take care of that person, and also us
if we just let the FAITH GROW WITHIN US TODAY.
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Thank you Fr. Victor. A beautiful reflection on a beautiful message. The mustard seed story brings so many thoughts on other small things that need time to grow. Like you and me. We started as such minuscule embryos to become what we are today. And yet, abortion exists. If we treated all seeds the same way we would have such a barren world. And yet………..
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Thank you for the reminder about God’s timetable. Like me, so many want instant fixes.
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Harry,
Good reflection. See you soon.
FV
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