Readings:
Wisdom 18:6-9; Heb. 11:1-2, 8-19; Lk 12:32-48
Our
Faith will not disappoint us
The theme of today’s
readings is faith. Abraham is considered our father in faith for a reason; he
was tested repeatedly by God, yet his faith remained unshaken. The first
reading describes how the children of Israel waited in faith to be led out of
slavery in Egypt and into the promised land. They placed their faith in Moses
and followed him, believing that God was in control of their destiny. Faith is
defined in the second reading as “The realization of what is hoped for
and evidence of things not seen.” The Catechism teaches that “Faith
is both a gift of God and a human act in response to God. In faith, the human
intellect and will cooperate with divine grace. Believing is an act of the
intellect that assents to the divine truth by the command of the will, moved by
God through grace.” Thus, it is right to say that because Abraham
cooperated with the grace of God, it became possible—though not easy—for him to
obey God.
Our faith should dispose us
to be responsive to the needs of others. Believing in God should not instill fear but prepare us to obey His commands as we await the kingdom willingly.
The Gospel refers to us as the ‘Little flock’ who should rejoice because
it pleased our Lord to bestow the kingdom upon us. Hence, we must remain
vigilant, as we do not know precisely when the Lord will come. We should be
prepared, not preoccupied with accumulating treasures for ourselves, but
instead sharing what we have with others. Therefore, we should always be on
duty, like servants awaiting the arrival of their master. Spending our time
idly, engaging in harmful actions, harboring grudges, and being overly anxious
about material concerns will distract us from the time we should spend in
prayer and in doing good.
Since our faith is a gift
from God, we should treasure it. We have been endowed with various gifts, such
as intelligence, counseling, teaching, singing, and helping. We must use these
gifts in service to others; failing to do so will hold us accountable before
God’s judgment. To whom much is given, much will be required. We must test our
faith just as God tested Abraham. Our faith should be active, practical, and
trustworthy. Abraham is an example of someone who hoped against hope and never
gave up. He received a command to move to an unknown land, trusted God, and
obeyed without question. When he and his wife were well past childbearing age,
God fulfilled His promise, granting them a son, Isaac. When God asked him to
sacrifice Isaac, he complied without hesitation. However, God intervened,
providing a ram for the sacrifice in place of his son.
God made a promise to
Abraham, assuring him that He would always be present with him and his
descendants, as long as they remained faithful. While God never reneges on His
promises, we often turn our backs on Him. Today, Jesus renews this promise,
urging us not to be afraid. We must live in faith, hope, joy, and peace,
confident that God is always with us. Fear and anxiety are signs that we do not
trust God and each other.
Today, Jesus reminds us
of the importance of having strong faith. If our faith is robust, we have
nothing to fear; nothing should shake or disturb us. We can be like Abraham,
who lived peacefully and without fear due to his trust in the Lord. “Those
who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures
forever.” (Ps. 125:1). No matter what demands our faith places upon us
or what God asks of us, we must trust in the Lord who promised us the kingdom. God
will always be faithful to His promises because He is the Lord who never fails.
Let us pray that we may
effectively use the gifts God has given us and lead lives free from fear. Our
commitment to prayer, fidelity to baptismal promises, devotion to the Eucharist,
faithfulness to other sacraments, and dedication to one another will assure us
of the kingdom promised to us by Christ. May it be so now and always. Amen.
Fr.
Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP
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