Scripture:
Reflection:
From Millstone to Mulberry Tree
Today’s gospel begins with a millstone and ends with a mulberry tree. It begins with the sea and ends with the sea. It begins with scandal and ends with seed. Luke’s gospel message, in other words, takes us across the broad expanse from sin to salvation in six brief passages.
With the parable earlier in the gospel of the rich man who ignored the starving Lazarus at the gate, Jesus exposes how one’s behavior, one’s sin, can lead others to neglect the poor. The word sin in the original Greek is skandalon, meaning a moral stumbling block.
And woe to the one who makes the “little ones,” stumble, that is the weak in faith, or those new to the faith. It is better that a millstone be hung on their neck and cast into the sea.
But if such a one who has offended us or harmed us seeks forgiveness, then we are to forgive that person — even if they offend us seven times a day, which is another way of saying over and over and over! We are likewise to forgive them over and over and over.
This is the challenge of Jesus to his disciples then, and us today. Are we capable of apparently such heroic forgiveness, especially with difficult people? The disciples didn’t think so. That’s why they begged Jesus for an increase in their faith in order to meet the steep challenge.
Jesus, however, calms them down. Even if all they have is faith the size of a microscopic mustard seed, he says, they can meet the challenge, they can forgive over and over. With such faith, they can tell the mulberry bush with roots deeply embedded in the ground, be uprooted and planted in the sea! That may sound like an impossible feat, but faith can do the seemingly impossible.
The faith we need, Jesus is tells us, has more to do with the kind of faith we have, rather than how much faith we have. A small amount of great faith can accomplish great things; can even forgive the hateful offenses others have inflicted on us.
Our small faith in so great a loving and forgiving God can accomplish great things.
Deacon Manuel Valencia is on the staff at Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center, Sierra Madre, California.