Breaking Open the Word

By James Cavanagh

Oct. 3: 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Scripture readings:

• Habakkuk 1:2-3; 2:2-4
• Psalm 95:1-2, 6-9
• 2 Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14
• Luke 17:5-10

 

Overview: 
Habakkuk deals with the perennial problem of evil and why God lets bad things happen. It’s a short book; only three chapters long. The first chapter raises the question: “Why doesn’t God do anything about evil in the world?”

God answers the question in Chapter 2, which is essentially “Wait. Be still. Have faith!” The final chapter is a prayer that recalls how God delivered Israel in the past, and ends with the assurance that God will save them again. Habakkuk wrote during a time of national crisis when the Babylonian army conquered Jerusalem. It was a time of chaos and fear, immorality and corruption.

In this week’s second reading Paul reminds Timothy of the “gift” of God (Gk. charisma) given to him through ordination, or the “laying on of hands.” Holy orders, a sacrament instituted by Christ for his Church, builds on the seed of faith sown at baptism and confers a special grace which enables a man not only to guard the “rich trust” (deposit of faith) given to him but to proclaim it with “power, love and self-control.” 

The connection between the first reading and the Gospel is faith. The Gospel begins where the first reading leaves off: “Lord, increase our faith!” (Lk 17:5). “Faith” here is to be understood as the determined resolve of mind and will to follow the Lord, even when there are no obvious benefits for doing so. It’s important to note that the disciples’ plea follows Christ’s exhortation to forgive one another.  Faith begins small, like a tiny mustard seed. Nourished by worship, prayer, and the sacraments, faith matures and becomes strong. But it takes time and commitment.
Key verse: “Lord, increase our faith!” (Lk 17:5)

“Catechism of the Catholic Church”: 
“By faith, man completely submits his intellect and his will to God. With his whole being man gives his assent to God the revealer. Sacred Scripture calls this human response to God, the author of revelation, ‘the obedience of faith.’ To obey (from the Latin ob-audire, to “hear or listen to”) in faith is to submit freely to the word that has been heard, because its truth is guaranteed by God, who is Truth itself” (No. 143-144).

Pope Benedict XVI: 
“Faith is not merely a personal reaching out toward things to come that are still totally absent: it gives us something. It gives us even now something of the reality we are waiting for, and this present reality constitutes for us a “proof” of the things that are still unseen” (“Spes Salvi,” 7).

Life application:
Faith is not a mere feeling. It is a firm commitment based on Truth.  When we don’t feel especially devout, our faith in Christ and his Church can see us through the most difficult times. We may not face the kind of dangers that Habakkuk, Paul, Timothy or the disciples faced, but the secular world in which we live doesn’t exactly support our faith either. It takes real courage in today’s world to keep the faith.

James Cavanagh is director of Evangelization and Catechesis for Metro-Area Parishes of the Denver Archdiocese. For information on subscribing to "Breaking Open the Word, click here. For archives click here.