Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time: Faith

Reading 1

HB 1:2-3; 2:2-4

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?

Destruction and violence are before me;

there is strife, and clamorous discord.

Then the LORD answered me and said:

Write down the vision clearly upon the tablets,

so that one can read it readily.

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.

Responsorial Psalm

PS 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9

R. (8) If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD;

let us acclaim the Rock of our salvation.

Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;

let us joyfully sing psalms to him.

R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Come, let us bow down in worship;

let us kneel before the LORD who made us.

For he is our God,

and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides.

R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Oh, that today you would hear his voice:

"Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,

as in the day of Massah in the desert,

Where your fathers tempted me;

they tested me though they had seen my works."

R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Reading 2

2 TM 1:6-8, 13-14

Beloved:

I remind you, to stir into flame

the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands. 

For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice

but rather of power and love and self-control. 

So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord,

nor of me, a prisoner for his sake;

but bear your share of hardship for the gospel

with the strength that comes from God.

Take as your norm the sound words that you heard from me,

in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 

Guard this rich trust with the help of the Holy Spirit

that dwells within us.

Gospel

LK 17:5-10

The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith." 

The Lord replied,

"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.

"Who among you would say to your servant

who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field,

'Come here immediately and take your place at table'? 

Would he not rather say to him,

'Prepare something for me to eat.

Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink.

You may eat and drink when I am finished'? 

Is he grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded? 

So should it be with you.

When you have done all you have been commanded,

say, 'We are unprofitable servants;

we have done what we were obliged to do.'"

Theme for reflection:  Faith

The great marvel called faith and what it can accomplish is astonishing and that is what Jesus seems to remind us with an example:

"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)  

In the gospel of Matthew it is a similar rendition of the same truth, but here Jesus is much more explicit and assertive in what may seem like an exaggeration:

    

For truly, I say to you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you." (Matt 17:20)

Christians throughout history and even in our times have accomplished mighty things through faith in Jesus Christ.

 But, among all these accomplishments, who has moved a mountain or a mulberry tree?

We have no report about this particular miracle of faith and yet there are countless miracles of faith reported all throughout Biblical and Christian history, miracles that concerns humans and leads one to faith. It is an indication of the purpose of faith’s action and what it is supposed to accomplish.

God indeed is the one of who can accomplish the impossible, making possible even in our day, what humanly cannot be accomplished with its own brand of faith.

Jesus teaches us that the basic qualification required is faith?

Is there anything new in Jesus’ teaching on faith and the power to accomplish many things?

There are many who may qualify Jesus teaching on faith, even those who may not believe in Jesus may vouch for the need to have faith to accomplish mighty things, if not the impossible.

Yet what the others teach about faith and what Jesus teaches are two different things; both may talk about the need to have faith and yet are totally divergent in their viewpoint about the quality of faith.

What is important to note is that one is a dangerous proposition and the other is nectar for the human soul.

One leads to hell while the other leads to life, even fullness of life leading to eternity.  (cfr. Jn. 10:10)

When Jesus calls us to accomplish things in faith, he is calling his dedicated disciples to have faith in God and have the faith of God as manifested in his Son Jesus  and thus accomplish the work of God.

Whereas what others teach is to put ones faith in the self, which may accomplish many things through sheer determination and will power, maybe even good things by human standards but abominable in the sight of God.

Jesus’ teaching is meant for the insignificant and poor in spirit, who walk in the simplicity of life fully aware that faith in self and faith in the intellectual gurus of this world cannot ultimately accomplish the work of God in this world and will definitely lead to eternal damnation.  They apparently may seem good but in reality are the seeds that sow godlessness and evil.

This work of faith is not just about moving the many mountains through human action, it is also about bearing the hardship that accompanies one, as in the second reading, when they participate in the gospel of faith.  (2 Tim. 2: 8)

This faith even means that if God delays his saving action, as in the first reading, then one should not lose hope but to persevere: 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. 2:3b-4)

Some additional scripture verses for reflection and use:  

  

Though the fig tree do not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

19 God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like hinds' feet, he makes me tread upon my high places. Hab 3:17-19

    

Jesus Christ our Lord, 5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, 6 including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.  Rom 1:4-6

  

That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants - not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham, for he is the father of us all, 17 as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations" - in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. 18 In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations; as he had been told, "So shall your descendants be." 19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead because he was about a hundred years old, or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. 20 No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was "reckoned to him as righteousness." 23 But the words, "it was reckoned to him," were written not for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him that raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was put to death for our trespasses and raised for our justification. Rom 4:16-25

Hebrews 11:1 – 12:2  

Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4 

This is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 1 John 5:4-5

    

Blessed is the man who endures trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love him. James 1:12

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Faith is Supreme

Today’s Gospel Text:  And they came to Jericho; and as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great multitude, Bartimae'us, a blind beggar, the son of Timae'us, was sitting by the roadside. 47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" 48 And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent; but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" 49 And Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." And they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take heart; rise, he is calling you." 50 And throwing off his mantle he sprang up and came to Jesus. 51 And Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?" And the blind man said to him, "Master, let me receive my sight." 52 And Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well." And immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way. Mark 10:46-52

Reflection: Faith versus reason! Which is greater: faith or reason?

This a difficult argument for the many and to comprehend the wisdom of God in seeking to save us not on the basis of reason or absolute knowledge but on pure faith.

Yet those who value faith never discard reason and are fully able to explain the relevance and at the same time limitations of reason. It requires sound reasoning's to do so. 

They who value faith over reason can argue and as St. Paul puts it are “able to lead every thought into subjection to Christ.” (2 Cor. 10:5). Thus reason makes a new beginning through subjection to Christ, which is faith.  

The relationship between reason and faith is like the relationship between life and breath; though it seems that one can’t do without the other.  Though breath is on account of life, yet without the breath there is no life.

Which is greater? If the criteria for evaluating is preexistence then life is greater than breath, otherwise we could conclude that it is breath that is essential for life to exist.

But when breath ceases life still continues in a lifeless body for sometime and those who have faith know for sure that this life continues with God’s help for all eternity.

Similarly, faith always exists and will exist irrespective of reason. If one would not have faith in God then faith in all its pride is placed in oneself, which many a times is a faith in the reasoning's of mortals.

If not then we begin to put our faith in mere abstractions, ideas and values without allowing our reasons to that comprehensive knowledge.

Prayer: Lord, I believe in you, I believe in every word you have spoken to us, I believe that I still need to believe in you as one who is with me guiding my footsteps. 

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Faith in Jesus

Scripture/Bible: As he entered Caper'na-um, a centurion came forward to him, beseeching him 6 and saying, "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, in terrible distress." 7 And he said to him, "I will come and heal him." 8 But the centurion answered him, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes, and to another, 'Come,' and he comes, and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it." 10 When Jesus heard him, he marveled, and said to those who followed him, "Truly, I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such faith. 11 I tell you, many will come from east and west and sit at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, 12 while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth." 13 And to the centurion Jesus said, "Go; be it done for you as you have believed." And the servant was healed at that very moment.  Matt 8:5-13

Reflection:  We all hold some job or the other, if not then we may have our own businesses. Even if we are sick or handicapped we still are able to do some work or the other.  The least we can do by way of labor, is pray.

Work either helps us grow or can make us stagnant, some shrivel up or even become worse in the labor they undertake.  

The human being creatively expresses through his daily work and may learn from it things that are good for his progress. They, more so, learn to relate with one another and their superiors and friends through their various interactions in the work place.

No matter how talented one may be, one of the chief qualities one carries and learns is the ethics of life; sound character, the aspect of charity and endurance, bearing up with those colleagues who are difficult to interact with, etc.   

All these action are made beautiful, if it begins with the creator and ends with seeking the glory of him who makes it possible for us to be perfected in our surroundings.  If only we knew how to draw from his presence the life, which is only him and give it to others according to the capacity of the vessel we are.

In the Gospel we have a beautiful example of learning from one’s work, which is then made beautiful in the holy presence of God:

The centurion has through his daily work learnt at least one thing and that is the power of human words to command and bring to fruition what it means.  At the same time we see in his interaction with Jesus, the limitation he must have seen in his own words to accomplish or help a person in distress.

How often we may have heard that we need to reach out to people who are suffering and in pain, just as Jesus did and went home carrying a guilt, because we have realized that somewhere deep down it is not possible in our hands, no matter how powerful we may be.

The faith of the centurion is also the absence of faith in himself and in  his own authority and might. It is a faith in Jesus who is able to accomplish all things beautifully and in his time.

Prayer:  Lord, help me not to be wise in my own eyes and teach me to fear you and turn away from evil.  So that It may be healing to my flesh and refreshment to my bones. (Cfr.Prov 3:7-8)

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