Just Done our Duty

[Melody]

Read: Luke 17: 5 - 19

Reflect: The apostles ask Jesus: "Increase our faith". Faith us a deep commitment to the wonderful things that God blesses us with. Luke uses the imagery of a faith as small as a mustard seed being able to work miracles.

Our relationship with God must be one of a dependence through a deep and trusting acceptance of his goodness. All that comes to us from our faith is God's gift to us and it urges us to love our God with greater commitment and single-mindness. When we have done our best, we have just done our duty.

Respond:
Q1  What does Jesus mean by: "If you have faith"?

Q2 Who is a 'model' servant according to this passage? Why?

Q3 What is the best reward for serving the Master?

© Rev. Fr. Marian Fernandes

[Seeker]

Q1  What does Jesus mean by: "If you have faith"?

The apostles ask Jesus to increase their faith so that they may forgive as he tells them they must.  Jesus replies that if they have faith as small as a mustard seed...

I think Jesus is saying that if they believe in Him and the strength He gives, that they can do anything, including to forgive "seventy times."  In other wordfs, faith is necessary to do the works of the Lord.

Q2 Who is a 'model' servant according to this passage? Why?

I would say the servant who does more than is required of him.  Should we be rewarded for doing what we're supposed to do?  Faith and love should drive us to serve the Lord beyond what the Church tells us is "required."  Should we count ourselves holy because we attend Mass once a week and avoid mortal sin?  Do we go out of our way to pray often and to do good works that may be "inconvenient"?  I think we're being warned here against becoming complacent in our faith and being satisifed with doing what is "required".

Q3 What is the best reward for serving the Master?

Just the privelage of serving is the best reward, IMHO.

[Melody]

Q1 What does Jesus mean by: "If you have faith"?

I think Jesus meant "if you have trust & confidence" in God. Alternatively, it could be viewed in light of Heb 11:1 "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen". Hence without seeing the mulberry tree being uprooted in reality, if the apostles had the assurance that what they hoped for would be done... that would be Faith.

Q2 Who is a 'model' servant according to this passage? Why?

I think the model servant is one who is humble & who recognises his true worth (unworthiness) before God. I think these small 4 verses serve to remind us that just because we may be doing some good or leading souls to Jesus etc, it should not go to our heads and make us feel like we are like God (to sit at His table).

Probably that's what happened to Lucifer, who must have been doing a good job with the music in heaven & thought he had the right to sit with God, forgetting his true place, as a created one, a servant of the most high God.

It's waaay so much more true for us, who have been forgiven of soo many sins, to realise our true unworthiness before God and keep ourselves humble & free from pride at all times.

Q3 What is the best reward for serving the Master?

I agree with Seeker here. Serving itself is the best reward, and it is this service that will make us whole. A sort of 'good-circle' effect

Blessings,

Melody

[tklein1014]

Q1 What does Jesus mean by: "If you have faith"?

If you have confidence in God.

Q2 Who is a 'model' servant according to this passage? Why?

I think I'm with Seeker on this in that I think it is suggesting that someone who does only what is requred and nothing more may be unworthy.

Q3 What is the best reward for serving the Master?

God is faithful to those who are faithful to Him.  That is the best reward IMO.

Tina