Faith That Moves

18Aug

On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see whether perhaps he would find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. He said to it, ‘May no one ever eat fruit from you again.’ And his disciples heard it.

Then they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling and those who were buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold doves; and he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. He was teaching and saying, ‘Is it not written,


“My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations”?

  But you have made it a den of robbers.’


And when the chief priests and the scribes heard it, they kept looking for a way to kill him; for they were afraid of him, because the whole crowd was spellbound by his teaching. And when evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city.
In the morning as they passed by, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. Then Peter remembered and said to him, ‘Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.’ Jesus answered them, ‘Have faith in God. Truly I tell you, if you say to this mountain, “Be taken up and thrown into the sea”, and if you do not doubt in your heart, but believe that what you say will come to pass, it will be done for you. So I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
-Mark 11:12-24


Reading today’s gospel reading, three things stand out. 


One: Hanger, the angry lashing out at any and everything when one’s blood sugar has dropped too low, is a real thing. Even Jesus experienced it! So perhaps my beloved family should have more patience with me when I do the same. Poor fig tree! 


Two: Jesus repeatedly calls out those who have, over time, allowed the temple and the religious order to evolve into profiteering or power mongering. He does not like hypocrites. This hits deep for me right now. Reading Father Breckinridge’s comments on Lutheran Pastor Anders Neilsen’s sermon earlier this month, I was struck by the feedback from young people on the state of the church. The gist was: ”Less talk, more action.” “Christians need to act like Christians.” Or as a favorite TikToker I follow said, “Read the Red Words” (i.e. the words attributed to Jesus). All of these memes are so Jesus-like! Just as he does in this passage, they call out Christians for their hypocrisy. I hope we at Trinity can heed their call and do better. 


Three: Jesus’s exasperated plea for faith is a hard one to live up to. And after reading it I’m deeply aware of how short I fall. 


Truly I tell you, if you say to this mountain, “Be taken up and thrown into the sea”, and if you do not doubt in your heart, but believe that what you say will come to pass, it will be done for you.


Many times I have prayed for something, prayers for healing of cancers or dementia, while my scientifically-oriented brain whispers in the background: “you are praying for a medical miracle that biologically cannot happen!” Is Jesus telling me to choose belief over science? Faith over reason? I think he is! But how am I supposed to suspend my reality-based thinking and truly trust-fall into faith? I just don’t seem to be able to do that yet. Luckily, it seems the apostles also struggled with this so I am in good company. Jesus reminds them again and again, “have faith! Faith the size of a mustard seed! Have faith!” 

Musical Reflection - Fig Tree - Lara George


Dear Lord, I pray that you help strengthen my faith. Help me to grow into a faith that can truly move mountains. Steer me away from a hypocritical faith to one that is true. Strengthen me so that I do not just read your words, but have the courage and will to live them out. Amen.

hypocrisyGospelPrayerPentecost Anger

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