Faith is a gift of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians
12:9). It is also essential for salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9). It is important to
know, however, for faith to lead to salvation, it cannot be tepid (c.f.
Revelation 3:16).
Faith (emunah/ אֱמוּנָה
in Hebrew, pistis/ πίστις
in Greek) means steadfast fidelity. It is based on firm trust. Therefore, a
degree of faith in God means how much trust we have in God and how steadfast
our fidelity to God is. Therefore, it is not faith if lacks steadfastness.
The Scripture readings for the 27th Sunday
in Ordinary Time on Cycle C (Habakkuk 1:2-3; 2:2-4; Palm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9; 2 Timothy
1:6-8, 13-14; Luke 17:5-10) teach us what faith is about. This set of readings
speaks of the importance of keeping our faith strong so that we do not complain
and grow contentious to God, while our steadfast faith in God keeps us humble
in serving the Lord. And, the steadfastness of our faith is the strength of
faith. What gives our faith strong and steadfast is the Holy Spirit, as Paul
reminds in 2 Timothy 1:6, and the strong faith works like the mustard seed,
which commands and moves a huge mulberry tree, even though it may seem as small
as such a tiny seed (Luke 17:6). Furthermore, Jesus’ words in Luke 17:7-10 remind
us that steadfast faith makes us humble servants.
Steadfast trust, patience and humility – these are
some characteristics of steadfast faith.
The First Reading, Habakkuk 1:2-3; 2:2-4, reminds us
that faith is about trusting God. Habakkuk was getting inpatient with God as he
was frustrated with rampant injustice. He wonders what God was doing in and
when He would intervene. So he complained to God. Then, Habakkuk was reminded
to not to be in rush in expecting God’s action to fulfill a prophecy. “Rush one has no integrity” (Habakkuk 2:4).
It means, rush one has no faith.
Faith means trusting with patient hope.
In response to Habakkuk’s frustration with God, the
Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9) tells that our hearts will not be
hardened with frustration and doubt as we hear God’s voice, because listening
to His Word affirms and reaffirms our faith – trust – in God. This Responsorial
Psalm also reminds us that our faith can be tested to see if it is strong
enough so that we will not be tempted as the ancient Israelites on Exodus were
at Meribah as in the days of Massah (v. 8; Exodus 17:7; Numbers 20:13).
In a way, there is juxtaposition between how Habakkuk
was frustrated with prolonging injustice in Judah and how the Israelites on
Exodus complained and became contentious as they experienced prolonged hunger
and thirst. The frustration of Habakkuk
and contentious impatience of the Israelites at Meribah as in the days of
Massah are reflections of our problem with faith. When our faith is not strong
enough, in other words, when our trust in God lacks confidence, we are prone to
be like Habakkuk and the Israelites at Meribah as in the days of Messah.
To overcome this problem with faith, in the Second
Reading, 2 Timothy 6-8, 13-14, reminds us to stir up the gifts within us
through the power of the Holy Spirit. It is to raise the “temperature” of our
faith by the power of the Holy Spirit, with all our gifts fully activated. As
we are filled with the Holy Spirit, how could we let our faith become
problematic? Being frustrated with God, like Habakkuk, and complaining to God
due to the inabilities to endure, like the Israelites at Meribah as in the days
of Messah are symptoms of lukewarm faith due not being filled with the Holy
Spirit. Because the Holy Spirit is of power, love, and self-control (v.6), as
we are filled with it can love God with their whole hearts, whole beings, whole
strengths, as commanded in Deuteronomy 6:5. Then, we can fully trust God and
endure challenges without complaining.
The Gospel reading, Luke 17:5-10, gives another aspect
of faith, fortified by the Holy Spirit, and it is humility. Having a steadfast
faith makes us humble, and such a faith is as strong as the mustard seed
commanding the large mulberry tree to be removed (Luke 17:6). It may look as
insignificantly small as a mustard seed, because humility makes our ego so
small. The Gospel narrative indicates that the power of faith is relative to
humility but in an inverse relation to pride.
Along with anger, envy, lust, gluttony, sloth, and
covetousness, pride is one of the seven vices (cf. Galatians 5:19-21) to be
overcome by the Holy Spirit, producing its multifaceted fruit: love, joy,
peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control
(Galatians 5:22-23). Thus, pride needs to be transformed into humility by the
power of the Holy Spirit. Otherwise, it would be very difficult to serve.
Remember, salvific faith (Ephesians 2:9) is manifested
in deeds (James 2:14-26). And, our Christian faith manifests in our deeds of
love, serving one another as Christ has demonstrated and commanded during the
Last Supper (John 13:1-35). Reflecting Christ’s commandment for us to love one
another (John 13:34) and to be servant leader (Matthew 9:35), Paul reminds us
that we show our love in service to one another (2 Corinthians 4:5; Galatians
5:13). Ultimately, our faith needs to manifest in our loving service to the
least among us for salvation (Matthew 25:31-46).
Simply accepting and believing in Jesus as our
“personal” savior itself will not lead us to salvation. Such a belief is not a genuine
faith. Such a belief often leads to lukewarmness, which Jesus despises
(Revelation 3:16) and makes him suffer greatly (Diary of St. Maria Faustina,
1228).
As a gift of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:9), our
faith is strengthened by the Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 1:6-7, 13-14), to be
steadfast so that our hopeful trust in God is also unshakably firm and we can
remain to be humble servants on Christ’s commandment of love. And, this leads
to salvation through necessary virtues.
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