Homily Cycle C 10-06-19

Readings:http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/100619.cfm

Our 1^st reading from the book of Habakkuk was written about 2500 years ago; BUT it could have been written last week: Violence, Misery, Destruction, Strife, and Discord.   

Think about some of our headlines from last week: shootings, terrorist act in Paris, violent protests in Hong Kong, Haiti and elsewhere, the ongoing refugee crisis here and aboard, the condition of our culture and our politics.

Lord why don’t You Intervene?

When Msgr. Sacks led our Opening Prayer [Collect,] he asked, “Lord … pour out your mercy upon us ….”  Then we prayed and sang in our psalm, “If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.”

How hardened is your heart, your will to God’s will?

St. Paul reminds us to live our lives a testament to Jesus Christ, to the Gospel message!  And in the Gospel the Apostles ask, “Lord, Increase our faith.”

Do you want the Lord to increase your faith?

What does that mean?  Would we then have the power to move mulberry trees - move into the sea?  Mustard seed is very tiny a little jar of mustard seeds contains over 22 thousand mustard seeds!

We need to nourish the Gift of Faith that we have been given; nourish it the way that the Apostles did, St. Theresa of Calcutta did, St. Padre Pio did; St. Andre Bessette [the doorman of Montreal] did, that means live it each day, every day, every moment - for God!

Nourish our Faith through spiritual exercise:

1.    prayer,

2.    the sacraments,

3.    and offering each action to God!

Habakkuk reminds us that through all of our trials and tribulations - God’s Kingdom is ultimately going to triumph.  God’s way will rule the Heavens and Earth, the entire Cosmos - all of creation!

Jesus’ answer in the Gospel is mysterious; may be He is telling them and us – THE FAITH I GAVE YOU IS SUFFICIENT – use it, love it, live it!  “Remember Faith is not a feeling, but a relationship that is unlike any other.”  [Larry Glick, SJ Sunday Website, slu.edu] 

 

St. Francis deSales gave us this insight when he wrote, “Great occasions for serving God come seldom, but little ones surround us daily.” (Sermon in a Sentence, p. 49)

We are not in charge, we are not God, but we are empowered as disciples of Jesus Christ – to live lives that shine Christ’s Light & Christ’s Love on our world.

Our peace in this world emanates from true joy flowing from our daily commitment to prayer, to our spiritual life.  As we pray let’s not harden our hearts to the Lord’s voice!

God called us to a live as His disciples not because of anything we did, but according to his own design and by His grace.  For a few minutes, in silence, reflect on your heart, your will, your actions and God’s will - for you!

May God Be Praised!