#SundayIsComing - a short reflection on the Gospel reading for Sunday 5 October 2025

A short reflection from Archbishop Jeremy Greaves on the Gospel reading set for Sunday 5 Octber 2025 – Luke 17:5-10 "In Luke 17:5–10, the disciples ask Jesus to “increase our faith.” Jesus responds with the startling image of faith as small as a mustard seed — tiny, but capable of uprooting a mulberry tree. Then he shifts to a parable about servants who simply do what is required of them. John Dominic Crossan reminds us that Jesus often turns our expectations upside down. Faith is not about quantity — piling up more and more belief — but about trust expressed in action. The mustard seed is not impressive in size, but it grows into something that reshapes the landscape. Likewise, the servant in the story doesn’t seek reward or recognition but lives faithfully within the vision of God’s reign. For us, the passage suggests that the smallest acts of justice, mercy, and love are never insignificant. Crossan’s work challenges us to see that discipleship is not about heroic gestures or spiritual status, but about ordinary faithfulness lived daily. The kingdom of God takes root not in grand displays, but in mustard-seed moments — where courage, compassion, and persistence quietly transform the world."