Scripture:
Hebrews 1:2-3;22:2-4
2 Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14
Luke 17:5-10
Reflection:
It is Sunday, the day of celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the core hope of our mission journey through time. The integral "DNA" of the Catholic Christian, the paradigm or pattern out of which we live, and move, and have our being is the "PDR" – the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Living, dying, hoping.
The Sunday celebration brings to consciousness this pattern out of which we live.
At Holy Family Cristo Rey Catholic High School there are two reminders the administration and faculty hold up to one another. First, that nothing which happens negatively, as in facing major obstacles, necessarily effects the carrying out of the mission that the "Spirit of God has given us." And, second, in the very weakness, limitation, frustration and fear that I endure, I make a conscious choice through the feelings, that these indicators tell me that "the Spirit God has given us is no cowardly spirit, but rather one that makes us strong, loving, and wise."
Is it the ordinariness of our life that gets to us? Jesus recognizes that, and encourages us to recognize the same. The one, who would see that faithfully carrying out daily tasks is valuable, is that servant who is just carrying out his or her tasks dutifully. That is enough.
Convinced? Is my prayer request like that of the apostles? "Increase our faith."What is Jesus’ response? Take the smallest, tiniest (as in mustard seed) action in my life, and accept that this is "my job in God’s sight," and do with it what I can, not counting the consequences.
Is not this the meaning of stirring into flame the gift God gave you?
Let’s guard the rich deposit of faith, with the help of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.
Fr. Alex Steinmiller, C.P. is president of Holy Family Cristo Rey High School, Birmingham, Alabama.