Pentecost 19

Pentecost 19 If You had faith

Faith is substance and evidence.

Most people consider faith to be a belief in something for which there is no evidence and can never be proved or disproved. Most people consider faith to be a measurable commodity.

So it is that the disciples, Jesus’ students, thought that they only had a small portion of faith. They asked Jesus to increase that portion and make it larger.
On the surface it seems like a good request. On the surface the statement Jesus makes in response seems odd. Jesus heard the flaw in the request.

The disciples were looking for a teaching, a discipline, a method, a seminar or a program to increase something they thought they already had. They were looking for one of those self help books that might be titled “Seven Ways in Seven Days to increase your faith.” They wanted Jesus to assume the role of an inspirational speaker who would complement them for their spiritual accomplishments and give them certain tasks to perform in order to increase their faith.

Jesus’ response: “if you had faith” tells the disciples that they actually don’t have faith, yet.

Faith is substance and evidence. The substance is the personal relationship of love with the co-eternal Son of God. The evidence is in the transformation of their character in the holiness of the co-eternal Son of God.

Even the smallest kernel of faith establishes reunification with the infinite and eternal love of God. And so, even the smallest seed of faith is more than ample to accomplish amazing things for those who enter into a new life and a new way of living.

Many people heard Jesus’ words as an invitation to create their own reality. Nothing could be further from the truth. The substance of faith is the relationship that we have with the one who is the way, the truth and the life.

By faith we learn to pray: Heavenly Father not my will but your will be done. In union with the Father, through the Son, by the power of the Holy Spirit we learn to surrender self will to divine will. In that surrender we become co-creators with God in the great plan of salvation in Jesus Christ.

Faith removes obstacles because faith is the union of human will with divine will that allows each of us to become agents of grace in this world.
The evidence of faith is in the transformation of our minds and hearts. The evidence of faith is in the priorities we set for our lives and in the work. The evidence of faith is the attitude we bring to life and to God.

The disciples wanted more faith so they could accomplish their goals. Their religion taught them that right action and right belief produced righteousness and resulted in rewards. Jesus came to remind people that righteousness is right relationship. The relationship is the reward.

The change in attitude for those who have faith is the attitude Jesus himself revealed in the way he lived his life. He surrendered his divine prerogatives and came to earth as a servant.

Faith in God produces a change in attitude. The change is from the desire to command and control to the passion for love and compassion. The change is from the question: what’s in it for me to the question: how may I help. The change is in the transformation of the soul’s demand: my will be done into the soul’s desire: Heavenly Father, Thy will be done.

The disciples wanted a list of things they could do to increase their faith so they could accomplish their goals according to their will. They lacked faith because they lacked love. The lacked love because they thought of God as the one who rewards and punishes.

God is the creator, redeemer, sanctifier and divine lover of souls.
God does not ask us to submit to his all powerful will to avoid punishment and earn a reward. God sent his only begotten Son into the world to invite us into a passionate transforming friendship.

Faith is substance. The substance is the love Jesus gives to us. The substance is the friendship Jesus offer us. The evidence of faith is in the change that friendship produces in our attitude and actions.

The change in attitude is the change from someone who wants to be in control to achieve the goals of self will to some one who embraces the role of a servant of God in order to accomplish God’s will.

The change in action is the change from self indulgence to holiness. It is the shift in priorities and release of attachment to things in order to direct our time and attention to love. Love of God through worship. Love of others through service. Love of the true essence of ourselves by our daily offering of ourselves to be the friends of God.

Faith is a gift God offers to all people everywhere through the presence of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit invites all people everywhere to embrace faith by embracing unconditional, steadfast holy love. This love is most fully and perfectly revealed and embodied in Jesus Christ.

If you had faith you would experience the substance of faith and produce the evidence of faith. The substance of faith is Jesus Christ who makes himself available to us in the reading of his word and in the blessed sacrament of the altar. The evidence of faith is the new life and the new way of living that is formed by the prayer Jesus most frequently prayed: Heavenly Father, not my will but Thy will be done.