In today’s reading from the Old Testament, God gives the prophet Habbakuk essentially the same answer He gave Job about why there is evil and about why bad things happen to good people. Habbakuk cries out to the Lord, pleading with Him to step in and immediately stop the violence, the misery and the suffering. But God’s answer is in two words: wait and trust. Have patience, “For the vision still has its time.” This requires faith. God is saying “Trust me. I know what I’m doing.” In the Gospel, the disciples are also struggling with patience and faith. They are impatient and ask Jesus to help them increase their faith. Jesus tells them what they need to hear. He reminds them that their faith is even smaller than a mustard seed. And He was right! Recall how these same disciples ran away to hide when Jesus was arrested. He then goes on to caution them with the parable of the servant who did what he was commanded by his master with no expectation of gratitude. The disciples also had obligations they were expected to fulfill but their faith wavered when adversity came. Today, we too are expected to take up our crosses as part of our discipleship. Do we waver in our faith as well? Do we run and try to hide from God and even demand that God stop our suffering? Or do we remain faithful and trust that God has a plan yet to be fulfilled of which we are just a small piece. May we remember Jesus’s words as He was suffering: “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me, still, not My will but Yours be done.” (Lk: 22:42)