TWENTY-SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, YR C
Hab. 1:2-3,2:2-4; Ps 95
2 Tim 1:6-8,13-14; Lk 17 :5-10
IT WILL NOT BE LATE
The first reading of today begins with a lamentation: “how long will I cry and you will not answer?” The prophet Habakkuk lived at the time of two kings; Josiah and Jehoiakim. At the time of king Josiah there was a religious revival led by the king. He helped to restore the religious life of the people. This was accompanied by peace and spiritual progress. After Josiah, there was retrogression in the land.
Of all people, the prophet knew how it was like to live at the time when the whole nation was committed to the Lord. His lamentation is that of one who is in anguish because of the total collapse of what holds the society together.
Habakkuk uses three couplets in describing the situation that causes him grief; iniquity and perversity, destruction and violence, strife and discord. His unhappiness and frustration in the fact that God has allowed it to go on and is not responding to his prayer.
Like Habakkuk, we may have reasons to lament, complain and feel grief. There are many reasons that will make us feel that the Lord does not care anymore. When we look at what is happening around us these days we could cry like the prophet. The War in Ukraine has destabilized the world’s economies and it does not seem to end soon. The economic situations in our country are getting worse. The moral decadence is also a cause for great worry. Many people today do not care about doing what is right, they are just concerned about what brings them wealth and more wealth. In such a situation it is the poor, the weak and those who are always doing the right thing who continue to suffer.
I do not know the reasons for your grief or lamentation if you have one. But I assure you, no matter the issue, God will save you from it. The Psalmist assures us, “many are the afflictions of the just but the Lord delivers from them all” (Ps 34:20).
The Lord responds and promised to come to the aid of the just who are still faithful to him against the proud who have gone their own ways.
At such a time when there is retrogression, the prophet says there is violence everywhere, destruction and discord. This is a sign that this was a time when people disregarded the Word of God and abandoned the way of the Law of God. Those who are described as the proud are those who help to disregard the Law and by this, the just suffer. The Law no longer has any meaning.
To deal with our griefs and troubles, we must also begin from what could be the root of our issues. We must be careful not to abandon the Law of God. Many times, when we ignore the Word of God we finds ourselves in trouble. We must return to the word and command of God.
God asked the prophet to write the promise or vision down. This is not the first time the Lord has asked a prophet to write a prophesy down and he does so for good reason. He told Isaiah, “Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever:”(Is 30:8). He does this so that he sets his promise and assurance in concrete evidence. He does so to assure his people that the promise will surely come to an end no matter how long it delays.
For us too we receive the promise today. That no matter what grief we have, no matter our frustrations, the Lord will save us. We must learn to be faithful like Habakkuk, trusting in God’s faithfulness in the midst of violence and discord. He has said it, he will do it. It may seem long but he will show up for us.
His word is written “forever” to give those of us who are running by today, to believe that, if he did it for people of old, he will do it for us. He will do it for you. Sometimes our troubles are so much that we think we would be swallowed up in it. The Word of God today says, “if it delays wait for it…it will not be late”. God will not be late in coming to save you. He is God of perfect timing.
Remember, “the lions may grow weak and hungry but those who trust in the Lord lack no good thing”(Ps 34:11).
God bless you.
By Rev. Fr. Delight Arnold Carbonu
