Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time – Sister Evelyn McKenna, SNDdeN

October 2, 2022

Luke 17: 5-10

Today’s Gospel calls us to reflect on the quality of our faith.

The context of Jesus’ conversation with his apostles indicates that they certainly had faith – but they were searching for an even deeper and more significant experience of God.The metaphor of a seemingly insignificant and small mustard seed could initially cause one to wonder about its having any importance at all. However, in looking more closely, we can learn that this humble seed is not insignificant.

A mustard plant can germinate and begin to develop rather quickly – in only 8 – 10 days.  The leaves of the plant can nourish when eaten as a vegetable. Mustard seeds are diverse and may be white, yellow, brown or black. Joined together with others of its kind, 1,000 of these seeds can produce an 8-ounce jar of mustard!

So, what might Jesus have had in mind as he spoke about this small wonder?

Even a small degree of faith, given the right circumstances and environment, can enable wonders.
Belief can come in a variety of forms just as mustard seeds do. There are multiple ways of expressing deep faith.
Action doesn’t need to be postponed while we ponder at length when invited to take a leap of faith.
Faith can grow and flourish even in ordinary circumstances.
When joined with others, faith can produce remarkable results. A little bit of faith can go a very long way.

So as we ponder along with Habukkuk, let us write down our own vision of ordinary but powerful possibilities which faith can produce in our own lives, with others, and in our world.

Luke 17: 5-10

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.
“Who among you would say to your servant who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here immediately and take your place at table’? Would he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat. Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink. You may eat and drink when I am finished’? Is he grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded? So should it be with you. When you have done all you have been commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.'”
The Gospel of the Lord.

Meet Sister Evelyn McKenna, SNDdeN

Evelyn McKenna entered the Sisters of Notre Dame at Waltham, MA in 1957. Over the years she has taught grades 4 – 12. She retired from the religious studies department at Notre Dame Academy, Worcester, Massachusetts where she taught and worked with other department members in the “Love in Action” service program. Evelyn was a member of the PACE team in Congo. She created and teaches the St. Julie Project as part of the Notre Dame Virtual School and is a citizenship tutor at the Notre Dame Educational Bridge Center. Evelyn coordinates the SND Glimpses of God’s Goodness project.