Thursday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time
In today’s scripture readings I’m struck by the emphasis on faith and the redemption that comes with it. In Paul’s letter to the Romans, he emphasizes God’s righteousness and mercy is universal not because of one’s works, but because of one’s faith. Such righteousness and mercy is not limited to specific populations. The Gospel reading from Luke depicts Jesus telling the scribes and Pharisees that the blood of the prophets’ deaths is on their hands despite the fact that it was their ancestors that killed them. This message from Christ could seem daunting at first glance, however Jesus emphasizes that because of their ancestors’ actions, the scribes and Pharisees have the responsibility to be “builders.” Their choice to focus on works over faith therefore contributes to the death of the message of the prophets. Consequently, their failure to embrace their faith places the blood of the prophets on their hands.
My own tendency to be overly task oriented and my failure to foster a stable, faith-filled relationship with God leaves me feeling like one of the scribes or Pharisees from this Gospel passage. It causes me to wonder how I too have failed to embrace the fact that my faith calls me to justice in the face of injustice. I too am guilty of placing the blame on those who cause the injustice, failing to acknowledge my own responsibility to work towards the common good and to share God’s grace in response to darkness. I can’t help but think that these readings call us to embrace our faith so that it may fuel our works and inspire us to become more engaged community members that hold each other accountable to sharing the Word of God with each other, particularly in the face of immorality. What a blessing it is that such faith is so accessible and closely tied to God’s mercy amidst our human failings, so that we might not only be drawn closer to God but also be fed to go and be a light to our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Despite my own failings, I firmly believe that we too are called to be builders - to embrace and share our faith with others so that they too might realize the beauty of God within themselves. In what ways have you or could you place a greater primacy on faith? How has or might that faith call you to respond to another’s need or wrongdoing in order to put God’s grace into action?
God, may your grace empower us to recognize the gifts you’ve instilled in us so that we may be your builders, transforming our world through faith-fueled works.
Mike Bennett