Lectio Divina – Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C, 2025)
As we approach the Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, the Gospel reading from Luke 17:5-10 invites us to reflect on faith, service, and humility. In this passage, the apostles ask the Lord to “increase our faith,” and Jesus responds with a call to both steadfast belief and faithful obedience.
Faith the Size of a Mustard Seed
Jesus says to His disciples:
“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.”
I have to admit, I often feel that my faith is far from this standard. Some days I am carried along by routine or obligation, and my belief feels as though it evaporates under life’s pressures. Yet this passage reminds me that faith is not static. We are called to nurture it daily, to dedicate ourselves to maintaining and growing it, even when it seems small.
Faith is not about dramatic displays but about trust, persistence, and the willingness to act according to God’s will, no matter how insignificant or unnoticed our efforts may seem.
Doing Our Duty Without Presumption
Jesus continues with a parable about a servant:
“Which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, would say to him upon returning from the fields, ‘Come and have your meal at once’? Would he not more likely say, ‘Get my supper ready, fasten your belt, and wait on me while I eat and drink. You yourself can eat afterward’?”
The point is clear: we do not earn merit simply by doing our duty. Faithful obedience is not a ticket to reward but a response to God’s generosity. Just as the servant carries out his daily tasks without expectation of reward, so too are we called to serve God humbly, using the gifts He has given us to bless others.
Reflecting on this, I am reminded that life often presents us with the challenge of doing what is expected without claiming entitlement. There is always more we can give, more diligence we can show, and more love we can extend—because we have been entrusted with abundant gifts.
Faith in Action: Stewardship and Service
This Gospel challenges me to examine my own life:
- Am I using the gifts God has entrusted to me in service to others?
- Have I done all that I can, or do I settle for minimal effort?
- Do I act with humility, recognizing that everything comes from God and that I can do nothing without Him?
As St. Paul reminds us, life is a race to be run with effort, focus, and discipline. Similarly, in our spiritual lives, we are called to run to win, to persevere, and to serve faithfully, not out of duty alone, but out of love for God and neighbour.
A Practical Reflection
This week, I invite you to consider: Where can I act with greater faith, patience, and diligence? How can I serve others without expecting recognition or reward?
The Gospel reminds us that our faith, however small, can move mountains—not as a spectacle, but as a steady commitment to living according to God’s will. Our service, even when unnoticed, participates in His kingdom.
Prayer for the Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Almighty ever-living God, who in the abundance of your kindness surpass the merits and the desires of those who entreat you, pour out your mercy upon us to pardon what conscience dreads and to give what prayer does not dare to ask.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
by Bishop David Walker