A REFLECTION ON THE 19TH SUNDAY, YEAR C It is no news that this year has been declared the Year of Faith. What is news is that as we go deep into our celebration of this year of faith, the readings for the 19th Sunday of the year C call our attention to reflect on the theological virtue of faith. The book of Wisdom, from which the first reading is taken, employs traditional Jewish material as well as ideas borrowed from Greek philosophy to teach us that God is faithful to his promises and rewards those who have faith in Him. To prove this, today’s reading from Wisdom (Wisdom 18:6-9), recalls the exodus or departure, the most salient or significant event in the life of Israel. The reading speaks of ‘that night’ and praises our ancestors for having faith that that night would come to pass (Wisdom 18:6). Indeed, our ancestors had faith in God’s promise to help and deliver them; they kept faith in God and God rewarded their faith. Looking back at their history and discovering how God had being faithful to them in the past, gave them courage and hope for the future. This immediately reminds me of the beautiful hymn “I am never in a hurry, I will still wait on the Lord, He will answer my prayer, when the time comes.” The letter to the Hebrews, from which comes the second reading (Hb 11:1-2,8-19), is written to a group of Christians who – faced with increasing opposition – are in danger of abandoning their Christian faith. The writer, therefore, employs or makes use of many ways to encourage them. One of them is by recalling, in Chapter 11, how God has been protecting and blessing people of faith like Abraham and Sarah. By so doing, the writer challenges us to also have faith in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, no matter how grave our trials and troubles may be. But what does it mean to have faith? According to the letter to the Hebrews, faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Hb11:1). So defined, it is obvious that each of us need to have a solid faith. For it is by faith that we leave our beds each morning with the conviction that we can really stand and move. It is by faith that we drive hoping to go out and return safely. It is by faith that we believe in each other as partners in marriage or business. It is by faith that we entrust our children into the hands of teachers convinced they would not harm or corrupt them. It is by faith we go to a priest or pastor to pray for us. It is by faith we vow to be Reverend Fathers and hope to keep our vows. It is by faith we hope ‘boko haram’ would not come and bomb our church as we worship! It is by faith we hope our business would still thrive or bloom tomorrow. It is by faith we are convinced we can see tomorrow. It is by faith we hope to gain admission, pay school fees, settle house rent, pay medical and light bills, etc. It by faith we hope to overcome every sickness and attack of the enemy. It is by faith that we move on transfer to a new place hoping to be as safe as Abraham. It is by faith we hope to have children even after several years of childlessness. It is faith that makes us believe in purgatory, hell and heaven and the need to watch and be vigilant as Christ advises us to do in today’s gospel reading (Lk 12:32-48). Yes, we need deep-rooted and unshakable faith to move on. Yes, we need dogged, unwavering or unflinching faith to move on, especially when things are rough and tough! We need that faith that is never intimidated by fear but which intimidates fear. For such faith, we pray through Christ our Lord. And I can hear the Lord saying: “Do not be afraid, little flock” (Lk 12:32).
Posted on: Wed, 07 Aug 2013 05:30:27 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015