October 6, 2019 Sunday of the 27th Week in Ordinary Time-C

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

Psalm 95

2 Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14

Luke 17:5-10

If it delays, wait for it… Hab. 1:3

“Increase our faith.”  Lk. 17:5

Lord, Habakkuk was writing to a people in the path of a conquering foreign army.  Luke was writing to a people who could be martyred for their faith in you.  The pressure to deny you to save their lives must have been tremendous.   In addition, your message of humble acceptance of God’s will and trust in his power challenges our human nature because your ways are not our ways nor your thoughts our thoughts.   Paul gives us encouragement: “bear your share of hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from God.”  Due to scandals and sin committed by members of your Church many people’s faith has been challenged.  We can be tempted to give up and walk away because of the failure of trusted ministers in our Church.  Lord, you saw all this coming from your cross.  You firmly promised that you would be with us through war, famine, natural disasters, human failures and heresy until the end of time.  Lord, I pray for an increase in my faith in you and in the Church you founded and promised to protect.   I also ask for the patience to wait for your strength to endure any crisis in faith.  Amen.