Readings and Themes for the Week of October 3, 2010

Readings for Faith Sharing
Week of October 03, 2010,
Twenty Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading I Habakkuk 1:2-3, 2:2-4

How long, Lord, will you make me witness misery?

Psalm 95

"If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts!"

Reading II 2 Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14

Guard the rich deposit of faith you were given.

Gospel Luke 17:5-10

When you have done everything for the kingdom, do more.

THEME:

Faith is the anchor and force of life!

The prophet Habakkuk cries out to God in despair. The prophet is honest in his cry, for he feels abandoned and without help. Faced with the realities of war, terrorism, greed, and hopelessness that fill our earth, we also cry out to our God. These cries can only arise out of the hearts that know God’s presence, mercy, and compassion. Using the parable of the mustard seed, Jesus tells us of the immense power of faith. Let today’s sacred word strengthen our faith and urge us to proclaim justice to a suffering world.

Questions of the week

Question for Children:

Jesus teaches us that our faith is powerful and with it, we can do great things.

We can forgive, love, and share with others.

Which of these do you do most often?

Question for Youth:

The Gospel story tells us even a little bit of faith is enough to make amazing things happen.

How are you keeping your faith alive and growing?

What good things happen in your life because of your faith?

Question for Adults:

Being “in Christ” means living as Christ teaches.

What signs do you see in your life of generosity, forgiveness, hospitality, or any other of Jesus’ teachings?

Bulletin Bites
"Lord, increase our faith."

In asking Jesus to “Increase our faith!” the apostles reveal a very human trait – the desire to have someone else do for us what we can do for ourselves. Jesus understood that the apostles were asking him to teach them how to grow in their faith, but he responds by challenging them to “Increase your own faith”. Like the apostles, we are stewards of our own faith. We are responsible for the growth, maturity, and quality of our faith. As the Word Made Flesh and God Incarnate, Jesus lived and taught us how to constantly grow in our faith. His life and teachings are recorded for us in the Gospels and the other books of the New Testament. If, like the apostles, we truly want to “increase our faith” we must spend time every day reading and meditating on the Books of the New Testament, especially the Gospels. No one can do that for us. We must do it for ourselves. There will be a test.