The disciples make a humble request to Jesus: “Increase our faith.” It is a prayer that could easily be ours. Often, when we look at the struggles of life, the injustices in the world, or even our own weakness, we too feel the need for stronger faith.
But Jesus does not promise them, “Here, I will give you more faith.” Instead, he tells them that even the smallest seed of faith has extraordinary power: “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, … this sycamore tree… would obey you.” In other words, the question is not how much faith we have, but whether we truly trust God with the little that we already have.
Faith is not a quantity to be measured but a relationship to be lived. It is not about possessing power but about trusting in the One who is powerful. The prophet Habakkuk reminds us of this when he says: “The righteous person lives by faith.” Faith allows us to keep walking even when darkness surrounds us, believing that God will not abandon us.
Paul, writing to Timothy, takes this further: “Stir into flame the gift of God that you have received.” Faith is a gift, but it is also a responsibility. Like a fire, it must be nurtured or it dies out. Timothy is encouraged not to be ashamed or fear suffering, but to trust in the Spirit who provides courage and strength. In the same way, we have been entrusted with the Gospel and are called to protect it with the Spirit’s help.
And then Jesus adds a hard lesson: discipleship is service. He tells the parable of the servant who, after working all day, is not praised but expected to serve still more. “When you have done all you were commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.’” At first, this sounds harsh. But Jesus is teaching us something essential: our service to God and others is not about earning a reward or putting God in our debt. Love is not a transaction; it is a way of life.
The disciple is always a servant, because that is the very nature of Christ himself. He did not come to be served, but to serve. Our faith, then, is not proven by miracles or achievements, but by humble and gratuitous love—the kind of love that forgives, that serves the poor, that anticipates the needs of others without waiting to be asked.
So today, let us pray with the apostles: “Increase our faith.” And let us understand what we are asking for: not more quantity, but deeper trust. Faith the size of a mustard seed can uproot resentment, overcome division, heal broken relationships, and build a new world of justice and peace. That is the miracle of faith: when we put even a little trust in Jesus, God can do what seems impossible.
Father Josekutty Mathew CMF
