The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite contemplation of the role of faith in God and in our fellow human beings in building our confidence and conviction.
Trust and the common good
The reading from the Letter to the Hebrews details the Faith of Abraham.
* [11:1–40] This chapter draws upon the people and events of the Old Testament to paint an inspiring portrait of religious faith, firm and unyielding in the face of any obstacles that confront it. These pages rank among the most eloquent and lofty to be found in the Bible. They expand the theme announced in Heb 6:12, to which the author now returns (Heb 10:39). The material of this chapter is developed chronologically. Heb 11:3–7 draw upon the first nine chapters of Genesis (Gn 1–9); Heb 11:8–22, upon the period of the patriarchs;1
The response today is from the Canticle of Zechariah in Luke’s Gospel.
* [1:68–79] Like the canticle of Mary (Lk 1:46–55) the canticle of Zechariah is only loosely connected with its context. Apart from Lk 1:76–77, the hymn in speaking of a horn for our salvation (Lk 1:69) and the daybreak from on high (Lk 1:78) applies more closely to Jesus and his work than to John. Again like Mary’s canticle, it is largely composed of phrases taken from the Greek Old Testament and may have been a Jewish Christian hymn of praise that Luke adapted to fit the present context by inserting Lk 1:76–77 to give Zechariah’s reply to the question asked in Lk 1:66.2
In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus stills a storm.
* [4:41] Jesus is here depicted as exercising power over wind and sea. In the Christian community this event was seen as a sign of Jesus’ saving presence amid persecutions that threatened its existence.3
Mike Cherney notes that the response, which we read today, rather than being a Psalm is from Luke’s Gospel. He had been basing, at one time, much of his prayer on the Liturgy of the Hours. His impression is that the author of the letter to the Hebrews was writing to show the outcome of trust in God rather than provide a dictionary definition of the word faith. The Gospel also brought back memories.
I consider how I respond to moments of losing all control of a situation. These moments give me some insight into my faith. I wish that I could say that I consistently responded with putting my doubts aside, but that has not always been the case. When my sister died at the age of 48 it was a clear blow to the faith that I had. When my daughter-in-law suffered heart failure after delivering twins it was a clear embracing of my faith.4
Don Schwager quotes “Awakening the Christ asleep within you,” by Saint Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"When you have to listen to abuse, that means you are being buffeted by the wind. When your anger is roused, you are being tossed by the waves. So when the winds blow and the waves mount high, the boat is in danger, your heart is imperiled, your heart is taking a battering. On hearing yourself insulted, you long to retaliate; but the joy of revenge brings with it another kind of misfortune - shipwreck. Why is this? Because Christ is asleep in you. What do I mean? I mean you have forgotten his presence. Rouse him, then; remember him, let him keep watch within you, pay heed to him... A temptation arises: it is the wind. It disturbs you: it is the surging of the sea. This is the moment to awaken Christ and let him remind you of those words: 'Who can this be? Even the winds and the sea obey him." (excerpt from Sermons 63:1-3)5
The Word Among Us Meditation on Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19 comments that like Abraham, we too need to keep listening for the voice of God and acting on it.
When you think you hear him, whether in the quiet of prayer, in the worship of Mass, or in the busyness of the day, stop and listen carefully. See if what you sense makes you peaceful or hopeful. See if it lines up with the Scriptures and the wisdom of the Church. If it does, follow through—whatever that may mean for you. And trust that God will continue to guide you.6
Friar Jude Winkler relates faith to trust in God and shares that this trust is most difficult in times of persecution and loss. God knew the faith of Abraham but the testing of Isaac revealed the strength of Abraham’s faith to Abraham. Friar Jude reminds us of the second layer of the nature miracle on the Sea of Galilee showing Jesus triumph over demonic forces.
Patrick Riordan SJ, Senior Fellow for Political Philosophy and Catholic Social Thought at Campion Hall, University of Oxford, comments on work about the question of human goodness, innate or acquired, by David C. Rose in his book “Why Culture Matters Most”. In a large society, what motivates any person to behave in a way that benefits the common good when individual rationality might suggest that one is better off by not cooperating?
David Rose should have the last word: ‘… society gets the behaviour it wants not by forcing people to do or to not do things, but by instantiating values that incline them to want to do or not do what is best for society’ (166).7
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, suggests an exercise in contemplation using a traditional icon (or copy of one). That’s because they are lovingly created expressly for the purpose of prayer, and praying with one binds you to the great cloud of witnesses that have prayed with these images throughout history. The image is merely a window to God.
Gaze at the icon. Let your gaze be long and loving. Think of the icon as a mystical window in which you are on one side and God is on the other. Allow God to communicate with you by way of this image, but do not become anxious about how or when God may communicate. Simply continue to gaze and allow your heart to become still and open. End the contemplation with a prayer of gratitude.8
With the eyes of faith, we place our circumstances in the hands of a loving God and human companions and trust the outcome will move our lives closer to fullness as disciples of Christ.
References
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