THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL LIVE BY HIS FAITH

XXVII SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Luke 17:5-10

There is plenty of evil in the world. Indeed, there is so much oppression and exploitation. Everywhere we can see injustice and tyranny. The poor and the weak are crushed. “Outrage and violence, this is all I see, all is contention, and discord flourishes.” (Hab 1:3). It is as if the violent has taken over the world. In all this, we may ask: Where is God? Why does He not care? We are not alone in asking such a question. Prophet Habakkuk asks the same: 

“How long, O Lord, am I to cry for help

while you will not listen;

to cry ‘Oppression!’ in your ear

and you will not save?” (Hab 1:2).

Habakkuk presents God’s answer: At the right time, God will put things straight.

“if it comes slowly, wait,

for come it will, without fail.” (Hab 2:3).

And a final assurance is given: “the righteous shall live by his faith”. The righteous is the one who has no part in the injustice and violence that brings suffering upon the common people; the one who stays away from evil, because he chose to walk along the straight path - the set before us by God. Faith is the acceptance of the Covenant and the decision to live by it, making God the centre of his life and the point of reference for all his actions.

In the Gospel, the disciples asked Jesus: “Increase our faith.” That is a request which we must make as well. We need to ask the Lord to increase and strengthen our commitment and faithfulness to the Covenant or the Kingdom of God. Jesus’ answer indicates that God is ready to keep his commitment to us and grant our requests, even when they seem to be whimsical. God is always faithful to us and he demands also our faithfulness towards him. Faith implies service and obedience.

True faith is manifested in a pattern of behaviour or a way of life, as Paul told Timothy:

“Keep as your pattern the sound teaching you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.” (2 Tim 1:13).

Let us live in faithfulness to the Lord.