Scripture Reflection, October 5, 2025, 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Habakkuk 1:2-3; 2:2-4 2 Timothy 1:6-8,13-14 Luke 17:5-10

I never cease to be amazed by how timely our readings from Sacred Scripture can be. All three of today’s readings work together to weave a tapestry of faithfulness, highlighting the importance of faith in God, and the need for perseverance in faith, as we strive to build our loving relationship with the Lord.

Today, we find the Prophet Habakkuk in the midst of a time of considerable violence and suffering in the Kingdom of Judah, where he resides. He has grown weary of the fighting and destruction he is experiencing all around him.

But the Lord comes to him and compels him to be patient and to keep the faith. The divine message: the prophet is to be reassured that God is in the midst of everything - even (and especially) in this time of turmoil and strife - not unlike the times in which we are currently living.

And Saint Paul reminds us that God, in the form of The Holy Spirit, is indeed always in our midst - and just as important - God dwells within us. These emphatic reminders are designed to give us hope; so that we may keep the faith, no matter how bleak things become.

The gospel passage from Luke carries this theme of faith forward, as the apostles implore Jesus: “Increase our faith”. In the parable that follows their plea, the Lord talks about the need to persevere in faith - to continue to practice faith, so that it will become stronger and more substantial - that others might see it and be reassured by it.

These are perilous times in which we live…times full of fear, condemnation and injustice. Today, God implores us not to lose hope, but to continue to work, using our individual gifts and talents, to build a loving and just world for all. To do so is to continue to create the Reign of God right here on earth.

For further reflection: How are justice and love - not fear, condemnation, and hatred - motivating my actions these days?

by: Bill Miller