Faith evidenced in action

Throughout salvation history, the relationship between God and people has been presented in the actions of individuals who have responded in faith and obedience to the Will of God. The Roman Catholic Lectionary today touches on the response of Abraham, David, Joseph and Jesus. Friar Jude Winkler points out the passage from the 2^nd Book of Samuel in which the prophet Nathan tells David of the change from charismatic selection of the kings of Israel to the establishment of a Davidic line of succession which remained intact until the Exile to Babylon. Paul explains in the letter to the Romans the nature of the righteousness of Abraham before God. The relationship between God and Abraham is established on faith. The trust in God that the Covenant promises would be fulfilled was at a level beyond the limits of rational thought. The Gospel from Matthew tells of the faith of Joseph who was open to the prompting of the Spirit of God, in a dream, to go beyond the righteous requirements of an observant Jew, which Friar Jude comments would have been to allow Mary to be stoned according to the Law, and to take her as his wife. The example of Joseph is the compassion, obedience, prayerfulness and faithfulness of his response to the mission God had set before him. The alternate Gospel from Luke describes the action of Jesus in faithfulness to the mission to be about the affairs of His Father. This episode, which introduces the anxiety which sometimes accompanies our choice of the Way, also underlines the essential mission of being faithful to our calling and obedient to the guiding people and inspiration of the Spirit as we journey to holiness