catholicPittsburgh.org

By Edward Hogan

The readings for this Sunday:

Habakkuk 1:2-3; 2:2-4

2 Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14

Luke 17:5-10

People of faith are sometimes an enigma to those who say that they do not believe. Actually, all of us live in a world of faith. It may be faith in a bountiful God or a punitive God or it may be faith in something we call reason or experience. But in all forms of faith from religiosity to rigorous positivism, there has to be some kind of leap. The question arises as to what kind of leap will we settle for. They who choose to rely on the purely natural world have to rely on the stance that someday the answers will all be in and then their quest is over. For the people who believe in God, the world makes sense only through the depths of the revelation of the Divine in this world.

The scriptures today teach us about the faith that is required of those who claim to have this gift from God. The sacred writings tell us that there are no simple answers and sometimes no answers at all (as Paul reminds us 'now we see darkly') but rather than dwelling on the fact that we do not see clearly, they tell us to persevere in the faith.

In our demanding world today, the first section of the reading from Habakkuk could well describe our questions and our attitudes. " How long, O Lord? I cry for help but you do not listen! I cry out to you, 'Violence!' but you do not intervene. Why do you let me see ruin; why must I look at misery? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and clamorous discord. The quiet calm answer comes from God and not at our pace but in God's own good time." The vision will not disappoint; if it delays, wait for it." It is easy to claim that we are people of faith when life treats us well; but the truly faithful person does not tie his/her faith to well being but swells in faith in all circumstances. Answers to our questions come not just because we demand them but when we are receptive to God's message which can come in many shapes and forms. If faith should teach us one thing it should be that we have to be patient.

Faith does not promise us a life of calm and peace but rather of hardship and trial. Paul in his 2nd letter to Timothy urges us to bear our trials in the strength of faith that comes from God and is nourished by the Holy Spirit. So trials rather than being things that we have to endure, really are opportunities for growth for both us and others around us. We must stay grounded in our belief system without any arrogance or defensiveness.

A famous saying by St. Augustine tells us that we believe in order that we may know. Belief gives us a new form of knowing beyond pure reason and beyond any inkling of proof or demonstration. It is truly impossible to verify what we believe by any rational criteria and if we could it would diminish faith. What we have to be careful about is demanding that others see and know things that we see and know through faith. Just as we have to be patient with God's revelation to us, we need the same kind of patience with others in their quest for God's truth to emerge. Sometimes in our exuberance over our faith, or anxiety that we get it right, we tend to impose our views on other people. We would do well to reflect on another famous dictum from St. Augustine. In matters about which there is certainty, we should have unity. In matters about which there are legitimate doubts, we should have liberty. In all matters, however, we should have charity.