Almighty, ever-living God, Who in the abundance of Your kindness surpass the merits and the desires of those who entreat You, pour out Your mercy upon us to pardon what conscience dreads and to give what prayer does not dare to ask... collect for the 27th Sunday
First reading: Habakkuk 1:2-3; 2:2-4 Responsorial: Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9 Second reading: 2 Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14 Gospel passage: Luke 17:5-10
If you have faith... by Msgr. Richard Henning
Do not envy the prophets. Their task is filled with the anguish of those who perceive the truths most of us would rather avoid. They feel compelled to speak such truths even when people reject them and their message. Over several weeks, we have heard from the prophet Amos who undertook the dangerous task of confronting the elites of the Kingdom of Israel with their sins and the future consequences of their sins for a kingdom that was sowing the seeds of its own destruction.
Today, we hear from the prophet Habakkuk who likewise spoke during the last days of a kingdom - to the Kingdom of Judah in the last years before the conquest and exile of the people by the Babylonian empire. He spoke in a time of division, divided loyalties, threats, violence, and desperation. You cannot avoid the anguish in his voice as the kingdom disintegrates around him. His cry is that of the whole people who are losing the hope of evading the doom in their path. The kingdom has reached this moment of reckoning because its leaders have been deaf to the voice of the Lord. Habakkuk, even as he warns of disaster must plead the case of mercy with the Lord. If the people have been deaf, Habakkuk knows that the Lord will never cease to hear the cry of His people.
It may appear contradictory that Habakkuk follows such dire pleas with a statement of conviction that “the just one, because of his faith, will live.” The logic of this shift rests upon the faithfulness of God. While God’s justice may demand the death of the corrupt kingdom, the Lord has never abandoned His people to utter destruction. That people will now loose wealth, power, their places of worship, even their liberty – but conquerors cannot plunder faith. The exiles will have their faith and their relationship with the Holy One of Israel. In exile, they will be purified for the day of their liberation and return. As Habakkuk intercedes, seeking mercy form the Lord, he reminds the people of the one thing that will see them through the struggle – their faith in the “Rock of our salvation.” As the Psalmist asserts, this is the moment for them to hear the voice of the Lord and open their hearts in faith.
In the passage from Second Timothy, we hear words of advice from Paul to a young Church leader. Timothy does not face the extremity of the struggles of Habakkuk’s day, nevertheless Timothy needs the power of faith in the face of temptations and opposition. Like Habakkuk, Paul understands the power of faith to see believers through any and all difficulties. While he speaks of his own suffering, it is not his example, but the person of Christ that stands at the heart of his advice to the young man. The “faith and love that are in Christ Jesus” will give Timothy the capacity to trust. It will help him overcome his fears and conquer the temptation to pursue his own interests above that of the Christian community. By such faith he will bear the hardships of ministry with the strength that comes from the Lord.
The Gospel passage from Luke also addresses the importance of faith for exercising leadership. They have been listening to his disputes with opponents and heard the very challenging words he has spoken to friend and foe alike. They are not sure they can live the level of commitment at issue and so they ask the Lord to increase their faith. Jesus’ response is as challenging as his earlier teachings. They do not need more faith, they must exercise the faith they already possess. To do so would move mountains. He goes on to remind them that their awareness of their service must never tempt them to presume of God. Even as Apostles, they do not accomplish the least fraction of the work of their master. They must not demand or expect recognition. To do so would inflate their pride and shrink their hearts. Their orientation towards God must always be characterized by humility and gratitude. While Jesus may seem harsh here, His words ring true. Leaders are always tempted to misuse authority and the Lord’s warning is especially important for leadership in the Church where the goal is service and not mastery. But the warning is also liberating. The work of the kingdom will not rise or fall on their merits or failings. They need only place their faith in the Lord and the Lord will work the wonders.
There are so many limits on our ability to endure hardship, to master our selfishness, or to overcome our fears. The answer will not be found in our efforts but in hearing His voice.
