What trial was Habakkuk lamenting? Well, scholars continue to debate this topic. Some think Habakkuk lived just prior to the Babylonian attack on Jerusalem. If that’s the case, the holy prophet would be lamenting the evil and iniquity of so many of his fellow Jews who were forsaking the covenant, and that God would likely allow the Jews to be conquered by some foreign power as he had in the past.
Some scholars think that Habakkuk lived right after the Babylonian attack, and was crying out to God because of the devastation of Jerusalem wrought by the Babylonian invaders.
And some scholars think that Habakkuk may have lived several centuries later, during Alexander the Great’s conquest of the near East. Again Habakkuk's words would be interpreted as a chastisement upon Israel for abandoning the faith.
Whoever Habakkuk was, and whenever he lived are ultimately ancillary to the profound message of this book, the heart-wrenching longing for God to intervene in the experience of suffering: “How long, O LORD? I cry for help but you do not listen!” How long must I suffer?
The good news is that God does not abandon Habakkuk in his suffering. He receives a word of hope from God: Don’t give up. Be patient. Persevere in faith. God’s justice will ultimately prevail. If you were to read on in the book of Habakkuk, which is only three short chapters long, God gives Habakkuk a vision of a series of punishments for the wicked, robbers, embezzlers, deceivers, exploiters and extortionists, tyrants, deviants and idolaters. The book is pretty doom-filled, but it speaks to our very deep desire, a desire that each of us experience at our core, for justice, for God to rescue those who suffer, vindication for the innocent, and an end of oppression and pain, and bolsters our faith in the promises of God.
Our second reading addresses the need for perseverance as well. St. Paul urges the bishop Timothy to stir into flame the gift of faith. That amidst all of the difficulties the Church was experiencing Timothy needed to stir up the faith of his people and in his own soul that God’s power may fill them. To stir up the faith, that’s an important task for each of us. For we know, all too well, how many for baptized Catholics that flame has been virtually extinguished. They do not attend Mass. They do not pray. They do not engage in the works of mercy. Sin seems to have taken sway in their lives.
Now I’ve known many people where a nearly extinguished faith has become rekindled. They’ve seen the power of God at work through a vibrant Christian community. They’ve experienced the love of God in the compassion shown them by Christians. Sometimes, it was a traumatic event in their life that led to a sort of spiritual awakening, a death of a loved one, the reality of grief, that helped them discover the need for God.
In those delicate times though of spiritual reawakening, much prayer and involvement in a community of fellow Christians is needed, lest the flame of faith dies out again.
So what about us, what’s the temperature of the flame of faith in your life. Lukewarm or blazing?
During my seminary studies, I remember visiting the seminary library one day, and a book on St. Theresa jumped out at me. I opened the book to a random page, and I’ll never forget the quote. St. Theresa writes, “Comparison is death to the spiritual life.” And what she meant by that is when you compare your life to others, that can lead to real spiritual danger. For on the one hand, if I compare myself to someone that isn’t living the faith at all, whose faith has been extinguished, then I won’t grow spiritually, because I’ll think to myself, I’m holier than that guy, so I must be okay. But then on the other hand, you compare yourself to a saint, like St. Francis, and you think, I’ll never become that holy, so I might as well not do anything.
So for Theresa, this unhealthy spiritual comparison leads to a real spiritual mediocrity, faith, instead of being stirred-up is stifled. Rather, the truth is in the middle. Not comparing myself to the wicked, not comparing myself to the saints, I am personally challenged to consider what do I need to do personally to grow in holiness in the concrete details of my life.
In order to fan the flame, St. Paul tells Timothy to take as his norm the sound words that he heard, the Gospel, the Scriptures. To reflect upon and take as your standard, not the philosophies of the world, not the politics of the day, not the excuses of the spiritually lazy, but soundness of the Gospel.
Here is the injunction for every Christian to familiarize ourselves, to study and ponder and meditate upon the Scriptures. When we read the Scriptures, and when we allow them to speak to us, God stirs up our faith. An unopened bible serves no one. A bible collecting dust on a coffee table sets no spiritual fires. So open your bibles daily—read, reflect, and put into practice what you discover there.
Perhaps, take the daily mass readings which are published in our bulletin, and use them as your daily meditation. Ask God when they mean for the concrete details of your life? For example, using our second reading, ask, What does it mean for me to stir into flame the gifts God has given me. What does it mean for me to have a courageous faith, what does it mean to guard the riches of God that dwell within me? What have I considered as impossible that God wants to make possible in my life?
In the midst of death, the Word of God gives us life. In the midst of injustice, the Word of God gives us patience and the strength to work for change. In the midst of spiritual dryness or confusion, the Word of God is a lamp that grants light unto our path.
The apostles say to the Lord in the Gospel, “increase our faith”, is that a request you are willing to make? What would it mean, practically, if your faith were greater?
The apostles made this request of our Lord immediately after his teaching that if their brother sins against them seven times in a day, they need to forgive him seven times a day. They knew that that level of mercy, the ability to love and forgive with the heart of God, required great faith. So they prayed, “increase our faith”. Is there someone who you would be able to forgive if your faith was greater?
Faith enables us to persevere amidst great trials, it helps us to see God working in the great moments of darkness and suffering, it helps us to perform great works for God which we deemed impossible, it enables us to forgive the greatest of insults, it makes possible tremendous growth in holiness and the working of miracles. Lord, increase our faith, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
