The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary invite contemplation of our desire for peace in a struggle with our transactional approach and our lack of patience to develop acceptance of delayed gratification.
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| Delaying gratification |
The Prophet Habakkuk complains and God responds.
* [1:2–4] The prophet complains about God’s apparent disregard for Judah’s internal evils in language that echoes the preaching of prophets like Amos, Isaiah, and Jeremiah.* [2:4] The just one who is righteous because of faith shall live: the faithful survive the impending doom because they trust in God’s justice and wait patiently for God to carry it out. Several New Testament passages cite these words (Rom 1:17; Gal 3:11; cf. Heb 10:38) to confirm the teaching that people receive justification and supernatural life through faith in Christ.1
Psalm 95 is a call to worship and obedience.
* [Psalm 95] Twice the Psalm calls the people to praise and worship God (Ps 95:1–2, 6), the king of all creatures (Ps 95:3–5) and shepherd of the flock (Ps 95:7a, 7b). The last strophe warns the people to be more faithful than were their ancestors in the journey to the promised land (Ps 95:7c–11). This invitation to praise God regularly opens the Church’s official prayer, the Liturgy of the Hours.2
The Second Letter to Timothy urges practice of the gifts Timothy has received.
* [1:6] The gift of God: the grace resulting from the conferral of an ecclesiastical office. The imposition of my hands: see note on 1 Tm 4:14.
* [1:8] Do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord: i.e., of preaching and suffering for the sake of the gospel.3
The Gospel of Luke shares some of Jesus teaching on Faith and our challenge to adopt the attitude of a servant.
* [17:7–10] These sayings of Jesus, peculiar to Luke, which continue his response to the apostles’ request to increase their faith (Lk 17:5–6), remind them that Christian disciples can make no claim on God’s graciousness; in fulfilling the exacting demands of discipleship, they are only doing their duty.4
Mike Cherney sees today’s readings as encouraging personal grit. The passage from Habakkuk warns of hard times. The Psalm encourages one to keep the faith. Paul’s letter considers suffering for the sake of the Word. The Gospel reminds us of our role as a servant.
I am in the midst of a week with my grandchildren – twins, 22 months old. They know when they want something, and they want things now. They do not hold back in letting me know. They love their Grandpa, but they are not going to trust me enough to endure delays or denials in fulfilling their wishes in the immediate moment. Delayed gratification is clearly something that is learned. I know where they are developmentally. This brings me to reflect on my own impatience. Like the Israelites of Habakkuk’s time, I can grow weary. Too often I would like to see my efforts pay off in the short term.5
Don Schwager quotes “To increase faith is to strengthen it by the Holy Spirit,” by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD). The Word Among Us Meditation on Habakkuk reminds us that nobody likes to wait. Whether we are waiting for a traffic light to turn green or awaiting the birth of a child, time seems to drag. Even if we tell ourselves that our wait will soon be over, we still feel eager for everything to hurry up.
You know how that feels, don’t you? A child has turned away from the Church, and you long to see her find her way home. A friend is not returning your calls, and you wonder what you did wrong. Violence against the weak, the unborn, and the foreigner is increasing, and you don’t know if God will ever put an end to it. Sometimes it just hurts to have to wait for a resolution.
If this describes you, then know that God has a word for you—the same word he gave to Habakkuk: “The vision still has its time” (2:3). God’s vision, his plan, is still unfolding. He is not standing by helplessly, watching you struggle. Try your best to hold on; put your faith in his love and his mercy. Even if it seems to be taking forever, don’t give up. God still loves you. He will always love you.7
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, shares from the book,” I, Francis,” where Carlo Carretto (1910–1988), a member of the Little Brothers of Jesus, speaks in Francis’ voice, combining biography with what Francis might say to us today about nonviolence destroying fear.
This is why I, Francis, tell you this once again: Learn to conquer fear, as I did that morning when I went out to meet the wolf with a smile.
By conquering myself, I conquered the wolf. By taming my evil instincts, I tamed those of the wolf. By making an effort to trust the wolf, I found that the wolf trusted me.
My courage had established peace.
You can deduce the rest by yourselves.
Just think what would happen if one day you became nonviolent, and took the huge sums of money you spend on defending yourselves against fear and used them to help the people of whom you are now afraid. . . .
You will know peace then.
Is that too much to hope?
Perhaps someone is listening to me!
To whoever it is, I, Francis say: Be brave!8
Some of the improvements we are urged to practice include not expecting a return for every deed and using the discipline of patience in our choosing nonviolent action to overcome fear.
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