Pentecost 17C (Luke 17:5-10)

Let us pay close attention to the dialogue between the apostles and Jesus in today’s gospel lesson. The apostles ask Jesus, “Increase our faith!” At first glance, this request sounds humble, as if they recognize that their faith is insufficient and needs growth. Such expressions are common in church settings, where people often confess their struggle with trusting God fully because their faith feels so small.

However, this request reveals not humility but rather a misunderstanding of faith. Jesus’ response is unexpectedly sharp, even seemingly sarcastic: “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed...” The size of a mustard seed is famously tiny—almost insignificant. Jesus implies that the apostles don’t truly grasp what faith is. They don’t need more faith; it’s not about having a larger quantity or degree of faith.

Faith, in this passage, is better understood as the profound experience of being uprooted, cast, and then planted in the vast presence of God. It’s the effort of making sense of life by clinging tightly and being deeply grounded in God’s presence within, even when life feels chaotic and mysterious. Faith has no size; it is a continuous movement inward toward God’s presence.

This understanding of faith contrasts two forms: one passive and one active. The passive view sees faith as a gift to be received or grown in quantity. The active view sees faith as a dynamic process—an ongoing action in which trust and doubt intertwine and coexist. Life’s struggles are real, and faith is the means by which we navigate and make meaning out of those hardships.

We live in a world often marked by aimlessness and nihilism—the fear that life lacks inherent meaning. But for those who live in faithfulness, life transcends any fixed or ultimate meaning, whether given or created. We live not because of meanings, but because life itself is greater than any meaning we assign. Meaning arises as a consequence of living faithfully rooted in God’s presence. It is an interpretation of life lived to the fullest or wasted. 

Life is experienced most closely and tangibly through breath. Breath is the means by which we encounter life here and now. With each breath, we carry on, training our minds by adapting the way we breathe to the circumstances we face. When we need to slow down, we breathe gently to ease tension in body and mind. When we need to press forward, we breathe in a way that is energizing yet steady, so we are not extinguished or exhausted. This practice finds its place in our silent prayers and meditation, where we rest in God’s presence.

This movement of faithfulness is active, energizing, and does not seek recognition or reward. Social acknowledgment is irrelevant; what matters is perseverance—continuing to live forward faithfully in God’s presence, regardless of external validation. So, the words of the slaves in Jesus’ parable are spoken out of true freedom and humor rooted in humility, “We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!”