27th Sunday in Ordinary Time C
Habakkuk 1:2-3; 2:2-4; 2 I Timothy 1: 6-8, 13-14; Luke 17: 5-10
It seems that today’s readings are beautifully fit together for me when I’m upset with what is going on around me especially with the condition of the larger picture, whether that be the parish, the state, the world or the church. So often things are fine, I seem to be able to ‘go along with the flow’ and to be in relative peace. But then there are the shocking catastrophes that come up: they start on the TV news programs or in the newspaper. Special editions come out or special programs examine in detail the horribleness of the event in question. So many questions arise within myself and are asked by others: ‘Why is God allowing this to happen?’...’where is God in all of this?’...’are people ever going to listen to Jesus’ teachings and God’s love for every single person?’ Why, why, why; and it seems with each ‘why’, more discouragement shows itself and I wonder what am I to do? I go and spend time with the Lord and go to His word in Scripture and especially to the Gospels. Today’s readings help me immensely.
A little background on Habakkuk: he is one of the twelve “Minor Prophets”; this doesn’t mean that his prophesies were unimportant but that they were very short. In fact the prophecies of these twelve were once recorded on one scroll. His concern, most likely, was the great empire of Babylon. The king of Babylon had completely destroyed Jerusalem and forced its citizens into years of exile as he ‘raped’ the country. The country was in dire straits coupled within political intrigue and idolatry. The first two chapters are a dialogue between the prophet and the Lord. What is interesting about this is that it may be the first time in Israelite literature, that a person questions the ways of God. Habakkuk calls God to ‘account for His actions’ and is filled with questions. He wants to know how long God is going to ignore his pleas for help. He wonders why he is witnessing so much misery among God’s people. He seems to fear that God has abandoned His people entirely. I’ve wondered the same down through the years many times.
God doesn’t answer Habakkuk but he tells him to write down the vision he sees from God. God doesn’t say how long this will last but the vision instructs him that the righteous wait in faith. This vision inspires Habakkuk to utter a prayer of great confidence and includes a vivid description of God’s saving power. His final words proclaim that one day, in spite of all the negativity, he will rejoice in Gods’ life-giving powers. God is in control; I need to know this. Can I understand God’s plan for me, for the world...no. But can I ask God to help me in my faith...yes. Paul and Luke help me with this.
In the second reading, Paul is telling Timothy to be courageous: just continue to do what you are doing...continue to be the person that you are gifted to be...continue to share that God is love and loves each person and wants each one with Him forever. With this in mind, there will be pain and suffering in life...accept it...get over it...How can I expect to live always in ‘a bed of roses’ and look at the cross of Jesus? He suffered and died for me and to show me the way of the cross, which He fills with His presence. Have faith in His love.
This is the message of Jesus in Luke’s gospel passage. The apostles wanted their faith in Jesus and God to be stronger. Jesus avoids answering and shifts the topic. Jesus is concerned with what I am doing with what I have been given. He is not concerned about quantity, but about quality. Living the Word says it this way: “Using the image of a household staff, He insists that though it is relatively small, it is still expected to perform several tasks—plowing, tending sheep preparing food, and serving at table. The householder might appear unreasonable, but the story is not about being considerate. This is a teaching about the obligations of the one serving not of the one being served.” I am the server, God is the giver. Jesus is asking if I want to increase my faith what I am doing about it. Faith is not sitting down and reflecting; faith is showing that I have faith. Faith is showing that I believe in Jesus by living as Jesus showed me and told me. Faith is taking care of the world I live in by making it a better place. I do this by sharing my gifts, my faith, my hope, my love. Faith without works is no faith. I can give love but people have to see my love; that shows my faith that God is in control and that I am of God.
The Psalm response today puts it all together for me, “If today you hear His voice, harden no your hearts.” It means that God is present every single moment to me and He is leading me to be Jesus, do I listen or do I pout and wish that God would do something. If this is the case, then why did He place me here? This leads me to ask all sorts of questions:
- “What do we do when we are I need?
- How do we handle it when things happen that are beyond our
control?
- Do we tend to cling to Jesus?
- Or do we shy away from Him and close ourselves off from His
graces?
- Am I softening my heart to hear God?”
- How do I come to know God’s will for me? It has to do with
gifts and love, am I paying attention?
- How much effort do I put into trying to live God’s will?
- Why does ‘society’ find it so easy to turn away from God
and justify such things as violence, greed, disregarding the poor
and needy, not paying attention to the mentally ill?
- Can following the will of God for me result in changes in my
world? How and why?
“Jesus warns us against seeking credit for our good deeds. Saying ‘I have done only what I ought to have done’ tests our humility.
As I spend time in prayer, God draws my attention to my life and hopes, and my faith becomes stronger as I learn to trust in God and in myself.”
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