Proper 22. October 2, 2022

Luke 17:5-10

Rev. Neli ML

In the preceding verses of today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches his first disciples how to be a community of peace, forgiveness, and reconciliation. First, he warns his disciples against causing the “little ones” to sin, that is, to keep the vulnerable, the poor, and those in need from a relationship with God. “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 sin,” Jesus warns his disciples (17:1). Jesus, then, teaches the disciples how to deal with offenders in the community through a process of reconciliation and forgiveness, which begins by rebuking an offender. The action of rebuking involves telling a fellow believer that he or she has done something wrong. It is expected that after being rebuked, the offender asks for forgiveness and receives it from the one who was offended. Thereafter, the community returns to peace. The process seems very reasonable; however, Jesus goes further and commands, “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” (17,4)

The number seven is the most important symbolic number in the Bible and expresses completion, perfection, and holiness, all attributed to God. Thus, to continuously forgive brings humans closer to perfection. . . closer to God!  What a great commitment to be a member of Jesus’ community! Is this why the apostles demanded that Jesus “increase their faith”?

When the apostles—the group of the twelve closest to Jesus—heard Jesus’ command to forgive the same person seven times in a day, they demanded Jesus: “Increase our faith”. The imperative voices make one think they might have been scared, desperate, and unsure on how to forgive an offender seven times a day and meet Jesus’ command. Maybe they were thinking, “Who can do such a thing? Jesus, we need more faith!”  Perhaps the apostles could not live in continuous forgiveness and reconciliation. But Jesus assures the apostles, “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed [a tiny seed], you could say to this mulberry tree [with deep roots], ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.” (17:6).

For Jesus, faith is not about “size”, but about power—power that can transform the dark world we live in, into a peaceful world. So, Jesus tells his disciples, “You have faith, or you do not. And, if you have it, use it!” In essence, what is Jesus saying?  “You don't need more faith, you need to realize the power of faith you already have.” Did the apostles have faith?  Perhaps Jesus was being ironic by pointing out the lack of faith of these twelve who had lived with him during the last months and had heard his teachings.  It seems the apostles still don’t understand Jesus’ message of peace… and they have no faith, that is, the “power” to build a community of peace.

Dear sisters and brothers, offenses can create deep roots of bitterness, pain, resentment, and hatred in our lives, families, and communities. Forgiving, on many occasions, can seem like pulling out these deep roots and tossing them into the sea, as far away as possible.  It requires faith, which means a commitment to keep our communities in peace. Our commitment involves letting the offender know that he or she has done something wrong that harmed a person and the community; then, to encourage the offender to ask for forgiveness and the offended person to forgive. This is a hard process, isn't it? However, if we are Jesus’ disciples, we are empowered to uproot hatred from our hearts and our communities to build a community of peace, a sacrament of God to the world.

Let us uproot all the trees of hatred and violence in our world and toss them into the sea, far away from humanity. Let us act as disciples of Jesus! Amen.