Daily Readings - Sat Aug 08 2020
Habakkuk
12Are you not from everlasting, O LORD my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O LORD, you have ordained them as a judgment, and you, O Rock, have established them for reproof.13You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong, why do you idly look at traitors and are silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he?14You make mankind like the fish of the sea, like crawling things that have no ruler.15He brings all of them up with a hook; he drags them out with his net; he gathers them in his dragnet; so he rejoices and is glad.16Therefore he sacrifices to his net and makes offerings to his dragnet; for by them he lives in luxury, and his food is rich.17Is he then to keep on emptying his net and mercilessly killing nations forever?
1I will take my stand at my watchpost and station myself on the tower, and look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint.2And the LORD answered me: "Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it.3For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end--it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.4"Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith.
Matthew
14And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and, kneeling before him,15said, "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water.16And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him."17And Jesus answered, "O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me."18And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly.19Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?"20He said to them, "Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you."
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the power of faith and the importance of trusting in God’s plan, even when the world around us seems uncertain or unjust. In the first reading from Habakkuk, the prophet cries out to God, questioning why the wicked prosper and the just suffer. Habakkuk’s lament reflects a deep human struggle: the desire for justice and the frustration of waiting for God’s intervention. Yet, in the midst of his doubt, God assures him that the vision of justice will come in due time. The prophet is called to remain steadfast and trust in God’s promise, even when the fulfillment seems delayed.
In the Gospel, we encounter a father who brings his epileptic son to Jesus, desperate for healing. The father’s plea is one of both sorrow and faith, yet he is met with the disciples’ inability to help. Jesus responds by rebuking the demon and healing the boy, teaching the disciples that their lack of faith was the obstacle. Jesus emphasizes that even a small amount of faith—like a mustard seed—can move mountains. This passage reminds us that faith is not about our own strength but about trusting in God’s power to overcome even the most daunting challenges.
These readings call us to examine our own faith and trust in God. Like Habakkuk, we may find ourselves questioning why evil seems to prevail or why our prayers seem unanswered. Like the disciples, we may feel inadequate or unsure of our ability to trust. Yet, the readings assure us that faith, even in its smallest form, is enough. God’s timing and ways are not our own, but we are called to stand firm, to wait patiently, and to trust that His plan will unfold. Let us pray for the grace to grow in faith, to persevere in hope, and to trust in God’s promise of ultimate justice and healing.