Friday, October 5, 2007

Mustard Seeds, Fear, and Faith

Marcellino D'Ambrosio has something to say via Spero News:

We all admire the heroes of faith like St. Francis (feast day, October 4). Absolutely nothing stopped him in his pursuit of God’s glory. When, during the Crusades, he was captured by the Saracens, St. Francis challenged the imams to a duel to prove which was the true religion. “Light a bonfire,” Francis said to the Sultan, “and have your imam enter the fire along with me. Whoever emerges from the flames unhurt, his God is the true God.” The Sultan thought it was a good idea. His imam did not. But from that moment on, the Sultan gave Francis and his friars safe passage passes to travel anywhere in Muslim territories unhindered so much was he moved by Francis’ faith.

So how about us? We identify more with the apostles’ request in this Sunday’s gospel. “Lord, increase our faith! (Luke 17:5).

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