Walking with Jesus: Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

For Sunday, October 2, 2022

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

In 2020 Pope Francis wrote the encyclical letter, Fratelli Tutti: On Fraternity and Social Friendship. I believe it is one of his most powerful and urgent addresses to all people worldwide, not just Catholics. He titles his first chapter “Dark Clouds Over A Closed World.” He begins, “Without claiming to carry out an exhaustive analysis or to study every aspect of our present-day experience, I intend simply to consider certain trends in our world that hinder the development of universal fraternity.” His first chapter elaborates on the hurts and evils today.

When I examine and pray over today’s readings, I envision our world problems converted to the hurts and sufferings in Old and New Testament days. Every place I go, voice I hear, and article I read online or in print tells me Father, how terrible the world is that we live in. When will it all stop? When will God intervene and restore His plan for creation? I am reminded of the story repeated to me last week of a person whose house is flooded and asks God for help. Early warnings advise her to vacate her house … later, a powerboat is sent to help … she climbs onto the roof and a helicopter is sent to rescue her … and she refuses it all. Upon her subsequent death, she asks God why He didn’t help her, to which God responds, “I sent you warnings, a powerboat and a helicopter. Why didn’t you listen? Why didn’t you accept My help?” God has put us in this world to be Him to the people in our lives … to be love, and forgiveness, and compassion to the poor and those in need.

Pope Francis’ second chapter responds to the evils and hurts of today by elaborating on the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). He reminds us that God put each of us here to love and be Jesus’ love. He concludes: “It is important that catechesis and preaching speak more directly and clearly about the social meaning of existence, the fraternal dimension of spirituality, our conviction of the inalienable dignity of each person and our reasons for loving and accepting all our brothers and sisters.” Today’s readings echo the same pleas and urgings, asking God to deepen our belief and faith in Him and in ourselves.

Tradition places Habakkuk among the so-called “Twelve Minor Prophets.” Why? Because his book is only three chapters long, yet his message is a major one. It challenges people to never allow present circumstances to weaken their faith in God or His love. Habakkuk starts out doubting that God cares at all about His people, so he cries out to God for help ... like the woman in the flooding house. It seems to him that God ignores his prayers. What is happening at that time in history? It appears the prophet has been a witness to the Babylonian invasion of Judah. (Ukraine and Russia?) He speaks about violence, ruin, misery, destruction, bitter disagreement, deaths. God tells him to write down the vision he sees (3:3-15). The vision is clear:  The impulsive, rash ways of the wicked non-lovers gain them nothing. Only faith in God and His way leads to God.

Paul echoes God’s gifts to each of us: “God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control.” [1 Timothy 1:7] The message is to trust in God and the message of the Gospel. Jesus showed us God’s love in His horrendous crucifixion and death, and then in His glory in the Resurrection and Ascension ... which is the promise of our resurrection to heaven.

Luke continues to explain the meaning of discipleship. Today he uses two sayings that originally circulated as oral traditions and were part of the Church’s instructions on what makes for effective discipleship. Keep in mind that the apostles and Jesus are on their way to Jerusalem. In the Synoptics (Matthew, Mark and Luke), Jesus only went to Jerusalem ONCE ... because to them, this was the whole meaning of Jesus' life through His death, resurrection, and ascension, to show us God’s total love for each of us, all the time, in every way. Luke starts by asking how much faith a disciple needs to be effective in his work. Evidently the apostles don’t think they have enough.  Jesus explains that any amount of faith is more than enough. Faith cannot be measured quantitatively … it involves boldness, confidence, empowerment, and transformation. The job of the disciple is to serve the Master, not the reverse. So no matter how much we do for God, we are not doing more than is asked or expected of us. This leads to the promise of salvation. Discipleship is a calling that brings with it the honor and privilege of serving God, who is all love, and we are always learning to love.

So I reflect on:

• How can I allow the Holy Spirit to recast my belovedness? What does it matter that I do this?
• As I serve others, do I approach my responsibility as a burden or a gift?

Sacred Space 2022 states:

“I join the apostles and pray insistently, ‘Increase my faith.’ I listen with the same openness and wonder to Jesus’ encouraging reply as I look at the quality of my faith: It’s enough for my faith to be as small as a mustard seed!

“While it seems obvious that the servant eats only after the master has been served, at the Last Supper Jesus did just the opposite: He insisted on washing the feet of His disciples. Then He called them His friends. I ask for the grace to have the freedom to see myself as the worthless servant trying not to be superior to His master.”