The Gospel for November 16, 2004 (Margaret of Scotland)
Luke 17:1-10
He said to his disciples, ‘Causes of falling are sure to come, but alas for the one through whom they occur! It would be better for such a person to be thrown into the sea with a millstone round the neck than to be the downfall of a single one of these little ones. Keep watch on yourselves! And if he wrongs you seven times a day and seven times comes back to you and says, “I am sorry,” you must forgive him.’ The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith.’ The Lord replied, ‘If you had faith like a mustard seed you could say to this mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea,” and it would obey you. ‘Which of you, with a servant ploughing or minding sheep, would say to him when he returned from the fields, “Come and have your meal at once”? Would he not be more likely to say, “Get my supper ready; fasten your belt and wait on me while I eat and drink. You yourself can eat and drink afterwards”? Must he be grateful to the servant for doing what he was told? So with you: when you have done all you have been told to do, say, “We are useless servants: we have done no more than our duty.” ’
A Study
These four snippets of wisdom may be classed into "love your neighbor," the first two, and "love God." I think we've heard them before.
The first, don't be a stumbling block, doesn't require interpretation. The "little ones" are believers, not just children.
The second brings to mind "... forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." The "as we" part is not a conditional "as," but a description of simultaneity.
The third and the fourth appear to be somehow related, just looking at the text from a literary construction view; but trying to relate the mustard seed to the mulberry tree has proven impenetrable for some time. What the third says is that more faith is good, and very little is actually required to be faithful. The fourth reminds us that we are in a master-servant relationship with our God, and that our very best is probably just good enough for Him. At the same time, we are in a lover-beloved relationship with Him.
A Reflection
William Barclay comments on the fourth mini-parable, "It may be possible to satisfy the claims of law; but every lover knows that nothing can ever satisfy the claims of love."
YHWH expressed His consummate love for us in creating us for Himself in His own image, carried it through the legends expressed in the Hebrew Bible, and conclusively demonstrates it through his gift of Jesus and the continuing presence of the Holy Spirit.
The Collect
O God, who called your servant Margaret to an earthly throne that she might advance your heavenly kingdom, and gave her zeal for your church and love for your people: Mercifully grant that we who commemorate her this day may be fruitful in good works, and attain to the glorious crown of your saints; though Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
7:55:06 PM 
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