Reflection for Monday November 10 Memorial of Saint Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church: Luke 17:1-6

Gospel: Luke 17:1-6

Jesus said to his disciples, “Things that cause sin will inevitably occur, but woe to the one through whom they occur. It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck and he be thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.

Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he wrongs you seven times in one day and returns to you seven times saying, ‘I am sorry, you should forgive him.”  

And 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.

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Reflection:

Why do we sin?

We sin because we sometimes allow sin to envelop us, and we sin because our faith in Jesus weakens and becomes easily defeated by temptations. The devil is like a drone hovering above us—watching, observing, waiting for the moment our faith falters. And the very instant he detects that our faith is weak, he quickly sends his servants to entice us with sin and lure us away from God.

But what is the antidote to sin?

It is something simple, and yet something we often fail to fully embrace—our faith in Jesus. This is what conquers the devil. This is what shields us from temptation. And the moment we ask Jesus to strengthen our faith, He will lovingly and generously grant us the grace we need.

But do we sincerely and prayerfully ask Him?

Are we faithful Mass-goers?

Do we spend time with the Word of God?

Do we pray the Holy Rosary with devotion and love?

If we truly desire an increase of faith, we must not only ask Jesus—we must also show Him, through our daily choices and our way of life, that we are ready to receive this precious gift. When we do so, we will begin to notice a meaningful transformation in our faith journey and in our walk with Jesus.

Faith is a gift—but it is also given by Jesus to those who seek it earnestly, and to those who are willing to walk away from anything that leads them into sin. A person worthy of this gift is someone who continues to grow in the knowledge of Jesus, and someone who shares their faith with others so that more hearts may encounter His love.

So if we want our faith to grow, let us desire to know Jesus more deeply, let us share Him more boldly, and let us courageously turn our backs on anything that separates us from His love. - Marino J. Dasmarinas