How to Move a Mountain: The Tenth Sunday After Pentecost

The Gospel appointed for the 10th Sunday after Pentecost, Matthew 17:14-23, presents us with a striking scene: the disciples are unable to cast out a demon, and the Lord rebukes their lack of faith. He tells them that if they had faith as small as a mustard seed, they could move mountains. This passage often leaves us feeling challenged, perhaps even a bit inadequate. We see the disciples’ failure and wonder, "What about my own faith? Am I really living up to it?"

The Epistle reading 1 Corinthians 4:9-16, offers a powerful and unexpected answer. St. Paul describes the life of an apostle as a spectacle to the world, a life of hardship, humiliation, and suffering. They are hungry, thirsty, homeless, and treated as the "offscouring of all things." This isn't a picture of miraculous power or mountain-moving authority. It's a picture of profound weakness and suffering for Christ's sake.

The Mustard Seed of Humility

The key is in understanding that the mustard seed of faith isn't about our own strength or self-reliance; it's about our total dependence on Christ. The disciples failed because they were likely relying on their own spiritual prowess, not on God's power. They had witnessed Christ's miracles and probably thought they could perform a similar feat through their own spiritual effort. But faith isn't a magical power we wield; it's a profound act of humility that surrenders our will to God's. 

St. Paul models this perfectly. He doesn't boast of his strength but of his weaknesses. He embraces humiliation and suffering because it is through this humility that Christ's power is made manifest. The apostles were not superheroes; they were living sacrifices. Their life was a testament not to their own abilities, but to God's grace working through them. 

This is the paradoxical power of the cross: strength is found in weakness, and life is found in death.

Living a Daily Life of Faith

For us, living our Orthodox Christian lives each day, this means we must cultivate a mustard seed of humility. Our spiritual life isn't about grand gestures or expecting miraculous outcomes on our own terms. It's about the small, daily acts of faithfulness:

-Praying our morning prayers even when we feel tired or distracted.

-Making the sign of the cross and saying a silent prayer before a meal.

-Resisting the temptation to speak a harsh word or gossip about a neighbor.

-Offering a small kindness to a stranger.

-Honoring God by doing our work with diligence and integrity.

These seemingly small acts, done with a humble heart and a sincere intention to please God, are the fertile ground where our faith grows. Just as a tiny mustard seed becomes a great tree, our consistent, humble efforts allow God to work in our lives. We don't need to move mountains, but we do need to prostrate ourselves before the Lord and trust that He can.

Let us ask the Lord for the grace to live our lives not for the applause of the world, but as a silent, humble offering to Him. May His power be perfected in our weakness and humility.