Gospel
Jesus said to his disciples,
"Things that cause sin will inevitably occur,
but woe to the one through whom they occur.
It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck
and he be thrown into the sea
than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.
Be on your guard!
If your brother sins, rebuke him;
and if he repents, forgive him.
And if he wrongs you seven times in one day
and returns to you seven times saying, 'I am sorry,'
you should forgive him."
And the Apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith."
The Lord replied, "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed,
you would say to this mulberry tree,
'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you."
Reflection
This line seemed harsh to me but upon deeper reflection it actually gave me comfort…”Things that cause sin will inevitably occur, but woe to the one through whom they occur. It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck and he be thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. Be on your guard!”.
We will inevitably fall to sin, I think it is a part of our human existence, however that is why we have the sacrament of confession so we can repent for those sins and strive to be better. And since we will inevitably make mistakes and sin, it reminds us that we are not alone in our struggles, which I think can make it easier to approach confession with an open heart. This awareness while humbling can also be freeing as acknowledging our shared imperfections can help us to embrace God’s mercy, by drawing strength from the knowledge that others walk this same path of repentance and growth.The second part to this made me realize how our actions don’t just affect ourselves and can have the ability to influence others. While everyone is ultimately responsible for their own actions and capable of making their own choices (and sinning on their own), I think there is also something to be said about those actions and if we are helping people grow closer to God or maybe encouraging them to move further away.
The final part of this passage has always filled me with hope: “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you”. This to me is a reminder how even the smallest measure of faith, a tiny opening or a simple “yes” to God, is enough for Him to work wonders in our lives. God doesn’t need us to have perfect faith just the willingness to trust in Him and follow His path.
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