Readings and meditation on the Word of God, the 27th Sunday of ordinary time, October 6, 2019. Habakkuk 1, 2-3. 2, 2-4; 2 Timothy 1, 6-8. 13-14; Luke 17, 5-10. Voice: brother Linus sdb (1 reading), brother Sevrin sdb (2nd reading), and father Peter sdb (gospel and meditation)
The theme for our meditation on this 27th Sunday of ordinary time is: Caring for Our Faith. As we are now in this October, the dry season is very long, hot and dry. Many worries haunt us, as the water dries up and opportunities to plant our farms are few. And the greater concern is hunger, then poverty becomes a frightening threat. Come from all sectors of our lives, advice and encouragement to maintain this life both among men and our environment that we must heed and do actions together.
To maintain or to care for is the act of sustaining and enhancing a process of existence or life. The goal is that the process does not stop and become extinct, but it still exists and continues to grow. Nurturing in the spiritual aspect is as important as caring for the physical aspect. We can call all our spiritual care by the name “preserving faith” or “caring for our faith”. By caring for faith, we experience our relationship with God that remains fresh, strong, stable and becomes a strength for our salvation.
Just like the long dry season that causes worries and fears for any disaster can happen, various kinds of weakness, dryness of life, and evil powers can bring also disaster for our faith. None of us as faithful people can claim that he or she is free from those threats, and his or her faith in God is so positive and nice. Thus, the effort and ways to care for faith is highly demanded on our part. Today’s readings suggest a way to preserve our faith.
The way we often do and should become part of our lives is to live in truth. Despite difficulties, challenges, threats and suffering confront us one after another, our stand and hold is the truth of God. We believe in that truth. All the virtues and commands of God that we use or live out are the evidences of that truth. In particular, the virtue of love is actually the core of life of the followers of Christ. The apostles asked Jesus to increase their faith which was still weak or fragile, and the Lord gave them solution, which is love.
In love and for love, we can give our best to God and our neighbors. We do not just give what is usual or something ordinary, but what is special and extraordinary. So we do not demand that God does extraordinary things to us, instead we are the ones who must love in a great and extraordinary way. Because God has done extraordinary things for us and will remain so until the end of our lives. So Saint Paul’s advice to us is: don’t be ashamed to testify about our Lord, that He always makes our lives beautiful and blessed.
Let’s pray. In the name … Dear God, may this Sunday celebration strengthen and increase the quality of our faith. Glory … In the name of the Father …