Weekly Liturgy : September 29-October 5
- Cory
- Sep 28
- 3 min read
Luke 17:5-10
NIV
The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”
He replied, “If you have faith [like] a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.
“Suppose one of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? Won’t he rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’? Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”
REFLECTION
from Cory
Faith, for Jesus, does not mean “believe the right things.”
The word that is translated as faith is more like our understanding of trust, loyalty, or faithfulness. In the time of Jesus, it was a political term to describe one’s loyalty. Allegiance might be an even better word.
For the mustard seed, it is not the size that matters, but the purpose of the seed. Jesus does not actually say anything about how small the seed is. But he is speaking to it’s role or function. You would not expect a mustard seed to grow into an oak tree or a pumpkin plant. In the same way that you don’t expect your waiter at the restaurant to sit down and eat dinner with you. The waiter has a job to do.
For the disciples, their desire for more faith emerges from Jesus telling them that they ought to be forgiving others 7 times a day! If my brother lies to me 6 times and I forgive him, but then he does it again and asks for my forgiveness, my desire will be for vengeance and justice. I want him to learn his lesson and get what he deserves.
The disciples rightfully ask Jesus for more faith (faithfulness, loyalty, or trust). To be more loyal to the God who forgives even when everything in them is pulling towards vengeance and punishment.
Maybe forgiveness is a natural outcome of our loyalty. When we pledge our allegiance to the God of mercy, the God of justice and Shalom, the God of second chances we are able to let go of our desire for vengeance.
And then, maybe we can begin to imagine and hope for a better future for the one who has wronged us.
PRACTICE:
Outward Mindset Application
Is there a co-worker or community partner or guest who has dropped the ball on an expectation? How can you let go of your disappointment and frustration and offer them a second, or third, or fourth chance?
Non-Violent Communication Question of the Week
When do you find yourself most tempted to pass judgment toward someone else?
What is one step that might help you slow down in order to be more observational and curious in those moments?
Pathways toward Centeredness
Naturalist —Loving God Outdoors
Trees and plants are dropping their seeds. Go on a walk and find a few seeds, acorns, pinecones, etc. Stop and consider each one and the tree or plant from which it fell.
What is this tree worried about? Who is it trying to impress? What has this tree witnessed in it’s life?
Questions for Reflection
Pull out a piece of paper and write down a list of your primary allegiances or loyalties.
Make a list of where you are spending your time, attention, money, and energy? What does that list say about your loyalties?
“Liturgy” refers to the habits and practices humans use to form community around shared values and meaning. At Church at the Park, we desire to be a community of practice, becoming people who see the world through the eyes of the marginalized, making meaning through the lens of pain and suffering, and committing ourselves to non-violence in a wounded world. This weekly email is intended to provide pathways of practice for becoming the type of people who embody these values.
Many of our reflections on each week's text come from other sources. If you're interested in reading more of what inspires us, here our our two favorite reflections.
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