October 2, 2022: Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Gospel – Luke 17:5-10

NOTE: The translation from this week’s Gospel Reflection is from The Message.

The apostles came up and said to the Master, “Give us more faith.” But the Master said, “You don’t need more faith. There is no ‘more’ or ‘less’ in faith. If you have a bare kernel of faith, say the size of a poppy seed, you could say to this sycamore tree, ‘Go jump in the lake,’ and it would do it.

“Supposed one of you has a servant who comes in from plowing the field or tending the sheep. Would you take his coat, set the table, and say ‘Sit down and eat?’ Wouldn’t you be more likely to say, ‘Prepare dinner; change your clothes and wait at the table for me until I’ve finished my coffee; then go to the kitchen and have your supper?’ Does the servant get special thanks for doing what’s expected of him? It’s the same with you. When you’ve done everything expected of you, be matter of fact and say, ‘The work is done. What we were told to do, we did.’”

Reflection

I was heading to the grocery store one afternoon last week. I grabbed a shirt and pulled it on. It was a light blue Providence Associate T-shirt.

It wasn’t a “big shop” this week. Just a few items. On my way to the checkout lane, a man passed me from behind and said “I love your shirt.” I responded, “Thanks, so do I!” As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I wondered, “What the HECK does the back of this shirt say?”

Once home, groceries unpacked, I had a look. Of course: “LOVE, MERCY, JUSTICE.”

Poppy seed. Faithful Servant. Work to be done.

Action

The beginning of autumn finds some of us putting summer clothing aside in favor of warmer items. While you are doing this, look through your T-shirt supply. Any surprises there? Any words that give you pause as you think about the work you have to do?