A SOLID FAITH.

TWENTY-SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME. YEAR C.
October 7, 2007.
(First Reading: Habakkuk 1:2-3, 2:2-4) (Psalm 95: 1-2, 6-9)
(Second Reading: 2 Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14) (Gospel Reading: Luke 17:5-10)

A SOLID FAITH.

The Christian faith has a solid foundation: Jesus Christ. Christian faith means that the power of Jesus is in those who believe in him. Christian faith, therefore has a powerful foundation.

Whenever we said: "We believe in Jesus" we are saying that we believe that all the power of the Lord is within us, that everything Jesus does we can do as well, for Jesus is in us.

In today's gospel Jesus wants us to be reassured of what our faith in him can do. That is why he says: "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea', and it would obey you" (Luke 17:6).

What is that power of Jesus which we make ours through faith in him?
The power of Jesus is the power to forgive his enemies, the power to bless those who curse him, the power to heal the wounded, the power to free the oppressed, the power to restore justice to the victims of injustice, the power to give life to the dead.

The manifestation of that power is the proof that the life of God is in Jesus. That is the same power which human beings gain through faith in Jesus.

Jesus' words about the obedience of the mulberry tree are said in order not to leave any doubt whatsoever about the absolute power of faith, that by the power of faith life will always triumph over death, redemption will always triumph over oppression, justice over injustice.

He who has faith in Jesus does the work of Jesus.
Just as Jesus did the work his Father commanded him to do, those who have faith in Jesus are to do the work Jesus teaches them to do; that work being: To forgive your enemies, to bless those who curse you, to heal the wounded, to liberate the oppressed, to feed the hungry, to bring justice to those who suffer injustice, to bring peace to a world bleeding in wars, to bring to life those who walk in the darkness of death.

That is our work, that is the reason for our existence. Just like the servant in the gospel who "did what he was commanded" (Luke 17:9) so it is with us, who, after doing the work of Jesus, can say: "We have done what we were obliged to do" (Luke 17:10).

However, injustice and oppression and death still run rampant in our world.
The Prophet Habakkuk sees in his world - and in ours - violence, ruin, misery, destruction, strife, and clamorous discord (Habakkuk 1:2-3). Then the prophet announces that the power of God will come "to fulfillment, and will not disappoint... It will surely come, it will not be late... The just man, because of his faith, shall live" (Habakkuk 2:3-4).

Today is the proper time for the people of faith to work with Jesus in order to bring about the fulfillment of the will of God in our world, to eradicate violence, ruin, misery, destruction, strife and discord. It is necessary, however to ask the Lord -as the gospel reading says- "Increase our faith".

To grow in faith means to grow in our commitment to faith in Jesus. That is to say, it is the quality and degree of our commitment to faith in Jesus what determines the extent of our participation in his power and the extent of our collaboration in his work.

Saint Paul in his Second Letter to Timothy expresses his heartfelt enthusiasm at the powers vested upon those who make the commitment to grow in faith in Jesus. Paul writes to Timothy - and to all those who embrace the faith in Jesus: "I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands" (2 Timothy 1:6). That is the flame that will bring total renewal to our decaying world of injustice, oppression and aggression, "for God -continues Saint Paul- did not give us a spirit or cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control" (2 Timothy 1:7).

By our commitment to grow in faith in the Lord Jesus, may we receive today the only power that can truly bring justice and peace to our world - the power of Jesus, for our faith in him is a solid faith.