In today’s Gospel, the apostles beg Jesus with their familiar request: “Increase our faith!” They were having a difficult time trying to share His message of God’s love to the people. And all they were getting in return was cynicism and rejection. Jesus replied, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can do miracles!” Isn’t it hard for us to believe this when we experience bad things happening to us. We momentarily question our efforts, lose some courage, and wonder if God is really answering our prayers. But God doesn’t give up on us. He is there to strengthen our faith. One of the ways that God does this is by giving us the example of saints. In fact, we celebrated two of our most popular saints this past week, St. Therese of the Child Jesus and St. Francis of Assisi. Both saints faced adversity and no doubt at times made the same request the apostles did: “Increase our Faith!” Let me give a couple of examples from their lives. St. Therese was one of the kindest and holiest people one would ever want to meet. Yet she had trouble at times with some of the members of her community. They didn’t really understand her way. There were some personality differences that we also most likely experience in our own lives, which got in the way of them loving one another. But instead of reacting against the others, St. Therese offered prayers for all the sisters, while praying for them during her kitchen duties. Her prayers brought tremendous healing and reconciliation among the sisters, who realized she was a saint. Then there is St. Francis. He was once coming home to his own friary on a rainy, dreary night. It was late and he was soaked wet as he knocked on the door that was locked, hoping that someone would let him in. The friar who opened the door didn’t recognize it was holy father Francis, but thought he was a homeless beggar who wouldn’t go away. So, he got hold of Francis by his hood and threw him down a hill into a pool of mud. Francis was shocked at first but then began to laugh at what had just happened. The irony of him being head of the whole Order now sitting in a pool of mud struck him funny. Yet this mustard seed of faith also made him realize that God was the only one really in charge of the whole Order, and not him. Both Therese and Francis chose faith the size of a mustard seed rather than react with anger at such unfair treatment. In what part of our lives do we need that small mustard seed of faith to help us move to love rather than remain angry?        ~ Fr. John