Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
For how long and how much pain should someone have to endure before they utter these words to God in prayer? “How long, O LORD? I cry for help but you do not listen! I cry out to you, "Violence!" but you do not intervene. Why do you let me see ruin; why must I look at misery?” (Hab 1: 2-3) Do you sense the same desperation and sheer exhaustion in the cry for help that I sense? In recent times, people without employment, people without health insurance and people whose homes have been foreclosed, perhaps have raised their voices to God. What became of these prayers, I wish I knew.
But there are also tremendous stories of heroic faith. We received a testimony from Tim Beach after he attended the healing mass last Wednesday. Tim says, “As we walked out last night from the mass, Karen and I both discussed how unworthy we felt. How could we be so blessed with God’s rich graces both in the past and through these difficult times?” Tim suffers from a very rare form of cancer. He and his wife Karen consider the cancer to be a gift from God. For them, this cancer has become a means of talking about God’s love and presence.
And then we have the disciples in today’s gospel reading who request Jesus, “Lord, increase our faith.” (Lk 17:5)
Even though today’s scripture readings raise very poignant questions, there is something very disarming about the answers they provide. Take, for example, the first reading. The answer to the desperate cry to help is a very calm response: “For the vision still has its time, presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint; if it delays, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late. The rash one has no integrity; but the just one, because of his faith, shall live.” (Hab 2:3-4) To the disciples request to Jesus the he increase their faith, Jesus merely says to them: "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.” (Lk 17:6) Really, is it all that simple and easy?
So what shall we make of these readings? What shall we take home for the week? Let me offer three points to reflect on during the week.
1. Both the first reading and the gospel reading have something to say about faith. Habakkuk says that the just one because of his faith shall live and Jesus asks us to develop faith the size of a mustard seed. But the end of the gospel reading gives us a totally new understanding of faith. Jesus says to the disciples, “When you have done all you have been commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.'" (Lk 17:10) Faith is not an act but rather an attitude in this way of thinking. Faith is a certain way of living life. When you have this attitude, Jesus says, that is when you can say that you have faith. Faith like this the size of a mustard seed can change our entire perspective toward life. I think, that is the direction that Tim beach is headed toward.
2. The second point takes us even further. For many people, faith means a set of doctrines. For other people, faith comes into play when they encounter insurmountable problems. Today’s scriptures are telling us that faith is much more than both these things put together. Faith is a relationship. Faith is the gratitude we feel in our heart for the simple fact that we know God. Faith from this perspective is not related to our needs. Faith form this perspective is not related to obtaining favors from God. Faith from this perspective is not a response to a healing or a means to enter eternal life. Faith from this perspective is not something we deserve. Faith from this perspective is a pure gift. Faith is like a teenager falling in love for the first time and realizing that he or she is capable of love. Faith is its own reward.
3. How do we know we have faith the size of a mustard seed? Many times in my previous homilies I have suggested that we should bring God into every aspect of our lives. It seems almost strange to me that I am actually going to say something totally contrary. I am doing this so that we can grasp the meaning of pure and simple faith. So here is a question for you: “Would you still have faith in God if you knew that there is nothing to be gained from it?” Could you detach faith from everything you know at present. Detach God from your illnesses, your needs, your petitions, your aspirations. When you have detached God from everything you know what is left? Is there still a relationship with God? Hopefully you find a plain, simple and yet deep bond with God. This is the kind of faith that we must ask God to increase.
As we stand around this altar, we get a glimpse of pure faith. Christ has nothing to gain from us. Christ has no guarantees from us. One day we are faithful and yet another day sin gets the better of us. One day we are a believing people and on another day we succumb to our human weaknesses. Yet Christ gives himself to us without conditions. As we receive this Christ let us pray for the gift of that same faith. Amen.
- Fr. Satish Joseph