They wanted more

Father Brian Christensen
The 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 5, 2025

“Increase our faith.”

 This is the call of the disciples to Jesus in today’s Gospel. “Increase our faith.” 

In his first encyclical as pope, Pope Francis wrote the encyclical entitled “Lumen Fidei” or “The Light of Faith.” He tells us this, “Faith is born of him. An encounter with the living God who calls us and reveals his love to us. Upon his love we can learn, we can lean, we can lean for security for the building up of our lives.” 

He also tells us that faith is received from God as a supernatural gift. “It becomes a light for our way guiding us on our journey through time.” 

You see the disciples have been with Jesus for some time. They have faith. They trusted him. They have some confidence in him, but he’s bringing them deeper in the face of challenges and oppositions in the teachings, of demanding teachings, of mercy and forgiveness for forgiving — seven times seven. The disciples are moved to have a deeper faith. They want more. They want more. They want their faith strengthened. They want it increased. They wanted it more secure. And the disciples have already encountered Jesus. He calls them and has already revealed his wonderful love for them, and they deeply want to build their lives upon this foundation of divine love that they have found in the Lord. Jesus, the light of the world, has given them a pathway. Has brightened their path for them, if you will, the way of light and truth, goodness and beauty that they see in their own lives. 

We as baptized Christians have already been given this supernatural gift of God, this gift of faith along with the gifts of hope and love as well. This is the gift of God of our baptism. The gift of faith has been given to us as a light guiding us through life. Throughout our lives we want that brightened. We want that strengthened. We want that deepened so that our halfway-being becomes more clear. 

We hear in the book from the prophet Habakkuk today that they faced opposition. They faced challenges and they doubted. They doubt God’s providence. They doubt God’s goodness, but the prophet tells them, God tells them through the prophet, that the vision of God, the plan of God, is not exhaustive and is not delayed. If it seems to be delayed, wait on it, for God’s plan is unfolding. Have faith. Have faith. 

Throughout our lives we face obstacles and challenges — in family and finances, in relationships and health, mental health and physical health, various struggles in our daily lives. God’s plan is not exhausted. Our lives are secure in the faith that we have been given by Jesus Christ, in the encounter that we have, but I know that we all cry out at some point like the disciples in today’s Gospel, “Increase my faith. Strengthen my faith. Help me have the courage to go forward.” 

You need to be aware. The Church today, through the Scriptures, has our Lord calling us to be more and more aware of the grace of God that is at work in us. As Saint Paul says to Timothy, the power of the Holy Spirit that is at work in us, strengthening us, and guiding us, showing us this light of faith, that we have received in baptism is secure. A secure foundation in that encounter and love in which we can build our lives. Today in this Holy Mass, on this the Lord’s Day, when he triumphs over sin and death and gives us a share in his newness of life, we perhaps have that same desire as their first disciples. We have faith, but desire increased faith, the faith upon which we build our lives.