Homily   Twenty Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time  October 3, 2004

 

 

The Word of God for this Twenty Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time talks to us about faith. Perhaps it’s a word that is used so lightly – is so vague that it almost escapes us.

Maybe it’s easier to talk about what faith is not:

It isn’t a set of beliefs in certain propositions or teachings.  These can change over time or we come to understand them differently.  Our understanding of who the saints are or how we should celebrate the Eucharist or our concept –human made- of God’s nature, and so many other aspects of our faith do develop.

It isn’t attachment to certain systems or structures.  These, too, change and are fallible. It isn’t even believing in people, though we may choose to be faithful to others knowing that they, too, may prove to be less than we would want them to be.

 

Our scriptures highlight the issue and the reality of faith.

The ancient prophet Habakkuk has seen utter destruction. The enemies on all sides have plundered the land. Even among his own people the covenant with their God has been forgotten. But the prophet has faith – trust – vision. And in the midst of all of this, this prophet believes that God is greater than all that surrounds him – that God will eventually deliver him.

Is this foolish thinking? Is this just a salve of some sort to soothe the pain of the time – the anguish of the moment? Or is it what gives meaning? Is it what makes it possible for the prophet to have hope?  And is it that hope that actually creates the future – paves the way – lessens the suffering?

 

And in our second reading Paul speaks to Timothy. Timothy has learned from Paul – and has tried to lead his community as Paul trained him to. But the reality is that Timothy and the rest of the late first century Christians are experiencing hardship. Dometian, the Roman Emperor had expanded and intensified attempts to annihilate the followers of The Way. Many had already given their lives for their belief in Jesus and His Way; other lives were made increasingly difficult and some were, no doubt tempted to wonder if they could continue as Christians in an environment that grew more hostile each day.

But Paul tells Timothy – whose responsibility it was to shepherd these people – who role was to lead them - that if he were to succeed he had to stir up his faith – and fan the flame of faith. It would need to become even more alive with his faith in this way of truth – this way of love- this way that was so counter-cultural to that late first century world. If Timothy and his people were to prevail and not succumb to fear they would have to look beyond it all – to God’s reign – to God’s way.

For Timothy as well as Paul it was not a belief in a doctrine that was important – it wasn’t a Creed or a ritual or a land or a building. For Timothy and Paul it was a way that they had to believe was worth the struggle – because it made all the difference. Paul tells Timothy to guard this rich trust – this way that they knew about – it had to be at the heart of it all for them.

 

And finally Jesus who has just been instructing his friends on The Way – about the need to forgive the other- even if she or he had hurt them and wronged them seven times a day – about the need to be careful to nourish the other to be responsible for the other – has probably made them a bit nervous. The Way would not be terribly easy they realize and so they beg him – if we are going to do this then you’ll need to give us more – more faith – more strength – more stamina.

But Jesus tells them that they need only to believe that it is the way – they will have amazing power if they do. Uprooting trees is nothing in comparison to what they can do if The Way is embedded in their hearts. Changing water to wine and calming the seas is nothing in comparison to the Peace they can bring, the reconciliation they can effect, the love that they can engender. But they have to believe that it is The Way.

 

And Jesus tells them that all they do to be faithful to their God –to living they way they’ve been called to live essentially is who they are and what they should be. If they love greatly and see themselves one with each other they are only doing what was meant for them to be doing.  The ones who don’t – the ones who would rather hate and kill and seek revenge and wield power over the others are the ones who are out of step with creation. It is The Way that is the norm – the path.

 

And so we gather to respond to this Word and wonder if we have faith – if we believe and what it means if we do. 

It would indeed be easier to believe in a set of rules – to recite with confidence the Ten Commandments or the Laws of the Church and say “see – I believe, I know what I believe.”

It would indeed be easier as many have done to choose one practice- no meat on Friday or Weekly Mass or Nine First Fridays or any of the other devotions and say this is the Way.

And we might even prefer to choose an issue –capital punishment or abortion or euthanasia or one of the other important issues in our world and say our zeal for these issues shows that we have faith.

But of course while the laws and the rules can help focus us and the devotions and worship can nourish us and the issues are vital to motivate us. The Way is much larger than any of them – and The Way is what it is all about.

We can’t contain it in a word or a practice.

We need to be steeped in it so that our lives – our words – our relationships- our posture – our entire beings reflects it.

And as Paul told Timothy and his friends this is not necessarily easy. Just as for Timothy the Way was countercultural in his time – indeed it is in ours.

In a World where my safety and my success is of utmost importance, the Way is directed to the other.

In a world where violence is justified because we need to get even or need to eliminate the threat, the Way says that we need to revere all – embrace all – love all.

In a world where we gate everything – our houses, our neighborhoods – where the alarm business is probably one of the most lucrative businesses going, the Way insists that we welcome all.

But at the heart of it all is our faith.

And our faith needs to be based on our trust.

Our trust is that even though we might be afraid – that we might see destruction – that we might not be in control – that we might be overwhelmed by what goes on around us – like Habakkuk and Timothy and Jesus’ disciples on the road, our trust is that God is not distant but is with us – that God who is all and has all will prevail.

That’s hard business. And that can seem almost foolish and risky.

But it is Jesus who told us that that trust would bring us out of it all. That if only you and I and all of us together really believed and trusted in the Way than the miracles would happen – the obstacles would be uprooted – the reign of God would happen – and things would be as they should be – they way our God conceived them to be.

It is hard business – we, like the prophet and the disciples have to decide if we can do it. But it is Jesus’ Way – Is it ours?