Catechism Links[1]
CCC 153-165, 2087-2089: faith
CCC 84: the deposit of faith given to Church
CCC 91-93: the supernatural sense of faith
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| “Faith” by Giuseppe Angeli, c. 1754 |
Commentary:
Reading 1: Habakkuk 1:2-3; 2:2-4
Commentary on Hab 1:2-3; 2:2-4
The Prophet Habakkuk, in his oracle, complains against the social abuses taking place in Judah. This takes place before the invasion of King Nebuchadnezzar of the Chaldean empire, who came to invade the region (including Jerusalem) as an instrument of God’s punishment. The selection combines the initial lament of Habakkuk and the Lord’s response from the second chapter, telling the Prophet to be patient, that the Lord is answering his plea.
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9
R. (8) If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Commentary on Ps 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9
This part of Psalm 95, commonly used as the invitatory psalm for the Liturgy of the Hours, is a song of thanksgiving. In these strophes the incident at Meribah is remembered (Exodus 17:3-7), and God’s undeserved mercy proclaimed. The community is rejoicing that the Lord is God and that he has brought us salvation in spite of our forebears' obstinacy. We are encouraged to listen to the Lord, even if what we are asked to do is difficult.
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Reading II: 2 Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14
Commentary on 2 Tm 1:6-8, 13-14
St. Paul reminds his student that he has been given great strength in the grace given through the imposition of hands (his ordination). He exhorts St. Timothy to boldly proclaim what was then the controversial message: that Jesus is the Christ, and that the Jews and Gentiles in Timothy’s region should turn to this new belief and understanding. St. Paul reminds Timothy that he should expect difficulty and hardship as a consequence of speaking out, but he (Timothy) should turn to the Holy Spirit for strength.
CCC: 2 Tm 1:6 1577, 1590; 2 Tm 1:8 2471, 2506; 2 Tm 1:12-14 84; 2 Tm 1:13-14 857; 2 Tm 1:14 1202
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Gospel: Luke 17:5-10
Commentary on Lk 17:5-10
The disciples ask Jesus to show them how to increase their faith. The Lord responds to them, telling them that once they have tapped into that power (of faith) amazing things can happen. Then, almost as a caution, he adds the concluding saying. "'We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.'" “ These sayings of Jesus, peculiar to Luke, which continue his response to the apostles' request to increase their faith (Luke 17:5-6), remind them that Christian disciples can make no claim on God's graciousness; in fulfilling the exacting demands of discipleship, they are only doing their duty.”[5]
CCC: Lk 17:5 162
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Homily:
This month of October has been designated as Respect Life month by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). This year the theme is “Moved by Mercy.” As we consider the long-standing struggle we, as Church, have had against a culture of death in this country and globally, we might find some solace in the first reading from Habakkuk. The prophet was crying out to God that the sanctity of life and the dignity of the human person was being violently transgressed.
Habakkuk cries out to God saying: “I cry out to you, ‘Violence!’ but you do not intervene. Why do you let me see ruin; why must I look at misery?” Those of us who pray constantly for those who suffer the violence of spirit caused by abortion, human trafficking, euthanasia (doctor assisted suicide) and the general erosion of the dignity of the person fostered by an attitude of intolerance, feel the same sense of helplessness.
We take heart as hear in God’s reply: “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.” God promises that his justice will prevail in the end, and that we must be persistent and wait for the effect of our unwavering effort.
In summary, Sacred Scripture begs us to remain steadfast and have faith. And if at times we have some small success, the Lord reminds us that what we do to bring about God’s justice for those who are violated and are down-trodden is nothing more than our duty as his followers. Speaking to his disciples about their successes in going out to proclaim God’s love he tells them: “When you have done all you have been commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.'"
What our faith is driving us to do is to look at the situation in our community and in the world and act in ways that bring God’s mercy to those whose lives are threatened by the world’s injustice. We are called to cry out, in our words and in our prayer, to change unjust laws and unjust attitudes that allow the innocent to be killed, maimed, and brutalized by people who have fallen prey to the most base and heinous of depravities.
There was a movie many years ago called “Soldier.” Its premise envisions a time when soldiers are literally taken at birth and trained to be soldiers. Those too weak or lacking the temperament were killed. The others were desensitized. They are forced to watch acts of violence until violence no longer seemed wrong or troubling. I mention this because that same “desensitization” can occur in us.
We see so many images of human dignity being crushed that we become immune to the tears we see, tears from the families for loved ones lost to drugs, lost to depravity, or lost to the unknown. What is even worse in many ways is the injustice done to those who have no voice, the unborn, whose tears are invisible because they have never seen the light of day and the glory of the world God created for them. With so much in the media that cheapens human life, they risk being overlooked. Their lives become invisible to many people who might otherwise cry out against the violation of human rights. We need to be their voice.
For many years here, at St. Thomas, we have had a very strong Respect Life group. They have been active in praying at the Planned Parenthood abortion clinics in the area, as well as prayer chains, and attending national gatherings, calling for repealing unjust laws, and doing their best to change the culture of death so prevalent in our society.
Recently there has been a revival of the effort to being additional issues that are the heart of Catholic teaching about Social Justice back to the public square. You may have seen in the last few bulletins the notice about a new outreach program: Social Justice through the Lens of Faith. This educational program attempts to reconcile Social Justice and Pro Life activities. The initiative is spearheaded by members of St. Thomas but has reached out to other parishes in our county and has attracted members from at least five other regional parishes. We strongly urge you to take a look at the program offerings and, if you feel the Holy Spirit whispering in your ear, join with us in seeking the Lord’s truth.
While Pro Life and Social Justice causes have been at the heart of Church teaching from the beginning (you should also take a look at Fr. Bill’s column in this week’s bulletin), we don’t often take the time to make support for these issues a priority in our lives. We are not alone in this. Look at our country and our world. Here we see what poor choices we have for our highest office in the up-coming elections, with neither political candidate having morally acceptable objectives. We see the travesty of the Middle East, and the President of the Philippines, an ally, claiming that if he could slaughter three million drug-addicted people in his country, he would. Respect for life must start in the domestic church, in the family. We must teach our young that Christ calls us to love one another. We must teach them what that means by respecting God’s gift of life. We must teach them not just with words but with what we do, taking the courageous and unpopular stand against abortion, against human trafficking, against euthanasia, against laws that threaten human dignity and cheapen human life.
We must not get discouraged but stay the course. This is what our Lord calls us to do as his disciples. And when we become depressed because we don’t see instant success, let’s recall once more what God said to his ancient Prophet Habakkuk: “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.”
Pax
In other years on this date: Memorial of the Guardian Angels
[1] Catechism links are taken from the Homiletic Directory, Published by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 29 June 2014
[2] The picture today is “Faith” by Giuseppe Angeli, c. 1754
[5] See NAB footnote on Luke 17:7-10
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