Luke 17: 1-6
Jesus said to his disciples, “Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, but woe to anyone by whom they come! It would be better for you if a millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea than for you to cause one of these little ones to stumble. Be on your guard! If another disciple sins, you must rebuke the offender, and if there is repentance, you must forgive. And if the same person sins against you seven times a day, and turns back to you seven times and says, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive.”
The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”
The Lord replied, “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you."
New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.
Setting the Tables
Increase our faith! There are many tables ahead! Tables and guests when kids slowly arrive, Thanksgiving Day, plus the day after which we call “Thanks again”! On that day, the doors open to welcome our grown kids' friends, parish friends, and a Jesuit or two who may bring someone newly landed in Berkeley. I don’t always remember who was there.
Far from home, we have created a family on Sundays and special holidays. I can get lost in the flowers and settings on these big feasts and focus on who I MAY think is the important guest. Jesus reminds us, “Be on your guard!” and reminds us to pay attention. Where do we locate or move the place cards at our table? Who drives us a little crazy? “Woe to the one through whom they occur!” Let us prepare the way for the tables we will set for those we need to welcome and what our table fellowship tells us about our attention to Christ among us. Increase our faith.
—Rita Dollard O’Malley is the provincial’s assistant for Ignatian spirituality and co-director of Seminars in Ignatian Formation (SIF) for the Midwest Jesuits.
Prayer
O Saint Martin, help us to have a great confidence in Almighty God. Make us understand that He is One Friend Who will never desert us as long as we are true to Him. Keep us from foolishly presuming that we will be saved without cooperating with Grace, but keep us also from despair, which forgets the mercy of God.
—Prayer to St. Martin of Tours
Pray with the Pope
The Holy Father’s Monthly Prayer Intentions Brought to you by Apostleship of Prayer the first Friday of each month.