Memorial of St. Dominic de Guzman
THIS TIME CALLS FOR LIVING-FAITH AND FAITH-LIVING
“‘The vision awaits its time; it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it. The righteous shall live by faith’ (cf. Habb 2:3). ‘If you have faith, nothing will be impossible for you’ (cf. Mt 17:20).
Dearly beloved in Christ, at one time or the other, we experience certain setbacks, hardships, unsettling confusions and disappointments. The evidence of injustice and oppression in our society today tend to pose a challenging question on all the “Omni” attributes of God. That is about God’s omnibenevolence, omnipresence, omniscience and, His omnipotence, His power to deal out justice to the oppressed and rule with equity. Be that as it may, the fact that the blind man does not see the blue sky, does not in any way or by any means make the sky any less blue. That the wicked prospers in his escapades (cf. Jer 12:1), keeps being wicked and dealing oppression and injustice against the poor and the weak; and growing even more wickedly, does not in any way obscure the truth that God is a just God and rules with equity (cf. Ps 9:9). We can observe that the situation of the world today is such that, the wicked grows wickedly, while those who trust and serve God suffer grievously at the hands of the wicked. For the wicked prosper in his escapade of wickedness and injustice, and unhesitatingly grow in wealth. The Readings of today show how this situation is not new, and more importantly, that such issue is frequently addressed in Sacred Scripture (cf. Ps 73); and how God deals with the wicked, serving His purpose for the good of and in answer to the cries of the poor and the oppressed; only the latter must trust faithfully and faithfully live by faith (cf. Habb 1:12-2:4). The purpose of this is to encourage the poor and oppressed to have faith and trust in God. The Psalmist sings beautifully of God as the Just Judge, Who deals out justice for the oppressed of His people to Whom He is a stronghold (cf. Ps 9:8-9). Further, he affirms confidence in God’s inability to forget or forsake the people called by His name; and invites us who know God’s name to trust and praise Him, telling His mighty deeds of deliverance, justice and equity (cf. Ps 9:10-13; cf. Jer 14:9).
The sum of all that the Psalmist sings, is a call for the oppressed to live by faith. Living by faith, here, entails totally trusting in God and in His power to deal out justice and equity and save the oppressed. It is to completely leave one’s cause to the Lord. This entails the ability to wait on God (cf. Habb 2:3). Living by faith, indeed, changes the tune and pain of suffering at the hands of the wicked. The truth of this is what we learn in the First Reading with Prophet Habakkuk, who cried to God on behalf of the people in their great suffering of injustice and oppression at the hands of the Chaldeans and their king (cf. Habb 1:12-2:4). The prophet lamented of the gravity of the people’s suffering, and the similitude that God has forsaken His people (cf. Habb 1:12-17). In His cry, he upholds God as the Only and Holy One, Who allows the wicked to chastise His people for His own kind purposes – His glory and the merit of His people who confidently cry to Him. The answer he got is a confirmation of God’s faithfulness. But more to this, he and the people are given the secret to God’s heart: living by faith (cf. Habb 2:4). Although it may seem delayed to the suffering poor and oppressed, the promise of God not to forsake His people is sure; and He can be trusted, and would fulfil His promises to the letter (cf. Habb 2:2-4). In the face of seeming and extreme oppression, where does your strength lie? Do you have trust and honest love for the source of your strength, an expression of the expectant faith in God that answers the wicked?
FAITH NOT PROWESS; TRUST NOT TOUGHNESS: CRY IN PAIN, WAIT IN FAITH
Beloved in Christ, you may as well take the position of the prophet and the suffering people of Israel, claim their words of lamentations, but I will add, claim also their trust and faith in God’s justice and equity to live by faith. It is not enough for us to cry and lament to God over the injustices and inequalities we suffer, we should also wait on the faithfulness and promise of God – live by faith. Often time, suffering, especially that dealt to us by the hands of the wicked through injustice and oppression, stares us in the face asking us: “where is your God?” (cf. Ps 42:3). Our response should come from the confidence of faith. We should cry out in pain, by live life in faith. Living by faith also entails loving God. For loving God is same thing as having faith in Him, as no one trusts a person one does not love. Do we? God is to be loved with all we have and are (cf. Deut 6:4-13). The Psalmist tells us that, God is the strength of His people and therefore should be loved (cf. Ps 18:2-4). As mentioned earlier, living by faith, indeed, changes the tune and pain of suffering at the hands of the wicked. For faith in God attracts His power to make possible what might seem impossible in the eyes of the world.
The Gospel passage of today evokes faith and not individual prowess. We hear of the disciples’ inability to cast out the devil. This Jesus recognised as coming from lack of faith (cf. Mt 17:14-20). Faith is an assent to God and not to individual prowess. The disciples relied in their own cleverness or prowess and were not able to cast out the devil. Faithlessness is: relying on one’s prowess rather than on God as the source of one’s gifts and strength. To exercise Faith is to affirm our nothingness and to acknowledge God as our source, but to rely on oneself is to profess Prowess. This is an evidence of lack of love. If we love, we acknowledge who we love. When we acknowledge God in faith as our strength, God’s love comes to its perfection (cf. 1John 4:12,17); and we accomplish great things. When we live by faith, an affirmation of our love for God, God shapes us through the sufferings we experience into what He desires us to be. Thus, St Clare writes: “We become what we love, and Who we love shapes what we become.” To trust in oneself or in humans is to wear the most unfitting and shameful clothe. Therefore, St. Dominic admonishes that we should wear the clothe of prayer and humility at all times, arming ourselves with faith: “Arm yourself with prayer rather than a sword; wear humility rather than fine clothes. St. Dominic, St. Clare; and indeed, all the Saints, knew the shame and pain of suffering and from their humiliation and suffering, learned to humble themselves, love and trust God the more to live happily. Do you acknowledge God or your prowess as your source of strength and accomplishment?
Dear Lord God our Father, You are just and holy. You alone are our God. We praise you, Who never forsake those who seek you. Listen to the cries of Your people who confidently cry to You of their pain of injustice and oppression at the hands of the wicked. You do not forsake those who trust in You and acclaim You as their Only and Holy God. Be our stronghold, and by the power and grace of the most sweet Holy Spirit, deliver us from the wicked who assail, assault and oppress us. Do not forget the cry of your poor; but in your tender mercy save us with the salvation you have for us in Christ Jesus our Lord. Who lives and reigns, forever and ever. Amen. Happy feast of St. Dominic.
