27th SUNDAY, 02 OCT 2022: HABAKKUK 1. 2-3; 2. 2-4; 2 TIM 1. 6-8, 13-14; LUKE 17. 5-10
Thrust: Faith in faithfulness!
Indicative: Faith is a matter of interior power that moves oneself and others and also changes the life conditions
“Faith” - In all three readings of the day, faith is the central theme. The first reading affirms, “the righteous shall live by his faith”. The second reading exhorts, “fan into flame the gift of God (faith)”. And in the gospel, the apostles request Jesus, “Increase our faith”, and in response, Jesus teaches them about faith, its power, its nature and its implications.
What is the content of faith? In the light of the second reading, it is “the pattern of the sound words that we have” received as our spiritual heritage. It is “the good deposit entrusted” to us. It is “the gospel by the power of God.”
In the light of the first reading, faith is the life-giving principle of the righteous because “the righteous shall live by his faith.” In the light of the gospel, faith is the power that would make even the tree obey our command because Jesus says, “If you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, say to this mulberry tree ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea’, and it would obey you.
Our concern here is not what wonders and miracles faith can do with its power. Certainly, faith is powerful and can cause wondrous effects. But the real quality and power of faith are not in terms of exercising control over the course of the events. The focus is on what faith can do to the person and his life.
Faith is seen in what it does to the person and life. It is manifested and testified in faithfulness. This faithfulness indicates a way of life that is in conformity with the deposit of one’s faith. Accordingly, fidelity implies not nurturing a spirit of fear but of power, love and self-control. A faithful person will not be so powerless as to be a weakling. He will try to be firm and steady.
A faithful person will be filled and guided by love and not hatred or resentment. A person of faith and faithfulness will be self-disciplined exercising an adequate degree of restraint and control. he will not easily succumb to any passion and urge for self-indulgence and gratification.
A faith-full person will constantly guard the good deposit entrusted to us. It becomes the driving force to live righteously. He would strive to bear testimony about our Lord. Further, a faithful person will never slack in his zeal but constantly “fan into flame the gift of God. Lack of fervour and fidelity cannot go together.
Now the ultimate test and sign of faithfulness is dutifulness and service. Faith and faithfulness translate themselves into humble and unassuming and unexpecting service. That is why Jesus suddenly uses the metaphor of a servant while speaking about faith. This indicates that true faithfulness is dutifulness in service. Service is not a favour that we do at our will and convenience. It is a duty of doing God’s will. It is not an option but an obligation.
Imperative: To have faith is to be faithful. To be faithful is to be dutiful. To be dutiful is to be serviceable. We are duty-bound to serve. We have no reason to take credit for our faithfulness because it is part of our faith
(REFLECTION 2)
FOCUS: Faith is not a matter of favour or power But a matter of obedience and service
1. It looks strange that the Lord opens in the gospel with the clarification on faith, but then proceeds and ends with a discussion on servant and dutifulness. Why this apparent "disconnection"? There is a great indication here. Faith is a gift and power from God. It is also a duty and for service. It is because we belong to the Master and serve him as servants, he gifts faith to us, grants favours to us and empowers us even to work miracles. Therefore true faith implies a constant growth in humility, fidelity, dutifulness and service.
2. The power of faith must be seen always in the context of deep trust in God, loyalty to him and service to him. It is never what one acquires by merit or what one exercises at will. True faith must never lead one to self-pride and self-glory. A servant is not greater than the Master. Service to the Master is not a favour to him but a duty. Similarly service to others is also not a favour to them but a duty. Therefore, there is no need to pride oneself in one's faith or in some power of faith in some gift of the Spirit.
3. It is really foolish that some consider faith as a personal acquisition or private possession. It is not that. Faith is also not a compulsory gift which God is bound to give us. Sometimes, in the name of a powerful prayer or unshaken trust in God, some modes of prayers are too demanding on the Lord, as if doing a miracle is the only way that proves God's fidelity or one's quality of faith.
4. It is in this context, the idea of faith must change and shift from a means of receiving favours, or a platform for miracles, or a reservoir of power, or a holy compulsion on God to grant favours, or an indirect test for God for His faithfulness. Rather, faith must be seen more in terms of faithfulness, dutifulness, servanthood and service. Favours and miracles from God must be seen as complements and supplements, and not as necessities, guarantees or proofs.
5. Further, in a world where domination and authoritarianism are ruling, where self-interested and motivated services which seek recognition, popularity and profit are increasing, we must cultivate and foster a spirit of humble servant and selfless service. We must be able to say: "We have merely done our duty".
10 NOVEMBER 2020, TITUS 2. 1-8, 11-14; LUKE 17. 7-10
Focus: Dutifulness is a master check for our faithfulness. Faithfulness is the greatest way of bearing witness to the Lord. And witness is the highway for being credible and effective
Seeking recognition and applause, desire to create impressions and making a show of one's goodness and greatness, boasting and blowing one's trumpet before others - all these are clearly the trademarks of today's society. This malaise has so much infected our world that a person's quality is rated on the basis of publicity. More importance is given to the tactics about marketing the product rather than the sincere efforts to ensure the quality and use of it. In such a context, doing good has become a rare commodity and doing it without any ulterior motive has become a rare happening. But Jesus makes it crystal clear that doing good and serving is essential to our human nature and vocation. Service is not a favour but is a binding duty. Good is to be done not at one's choice and convenience but as devoted dutifulness.
Thus, dutifulness becomes the hallmark for our faithfulness to the Lord, and faithfulness to the noble vocation we have received. As the first reading, from the letter to Titus makes it clear, Christ Jesus “gave himself for us, to redeem us from every evil, to purify us, in order to make us a people his own and dedicated to what is good”. Each person, according to his age and stage in life, according to his duty and responsibility, must be dutiful and faithful. It may be older men, older women, younger women, or young men. Whatever be the particular state or duty, what is most important is that we reject an irreligious way of life and worldly greed, and live in this world as responsible and upright persons serving God. It is only in this way, we will make our opponents feel ashamed with nothing to criticize.
Direction: Only the spirit of a humble servant and dutiful service can heal the widespread sickness of domination and manipulation. Only this will enhance the spirit of faithfulness and witness, and make us credible and transformative people
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