Jesus is the source and summit of our faith.  We fix our eyes on him so that we may always have a steadfast and living faith. 

The Father makes known his things and the things of his kingdom to the simple and lowly.  Hence, it should not come as a surprise that theirs is the living faith (SV.EN XII:142).

It does not matter, then, that their faith is not as great, high-brow and informed as that of the wise.  For what counts is genuine faith.  Due to it, the simple and lowly “believe, touch, taste the words of life.”  They also bear with patience and in peace their illnesses, troubles and needs.

To have a living faith means to live by faith. 

In other words, they live by faith, by the living faith they have. They rely wholly on God.  For they have nothing, just their faith, hope and trust in him.

That is, to have a living faith is to be with the anawim, the poor of Yahweh.  They cast their burden on the Lord and their worries on him who cares for them.

And Jesus wants us to be with God’s poor folks.  He wants us to see that we are the poorest of the poor and admit that we rely wholly on God.  For all the good that we are, have and do is a gift from him.  Faith, too, of course.  After all, we have nothing that we have not received.

Hence, there is nothing we can boast about.  As good as we may be, as right as our deeds are, we have no right to prizes from God.  There is no way he can be in debt to us though we may fully keep all his commands.  Be far from us, then, to claim that we are worth much, that we are above others.  Yes, when all is said and done, we are “useless servants.”

These cutting and shocking words highlight that simple, lowly and living faith matters very much. They also make it easier for us to remember them.  But then, no, the Master does not take us as servants, but rather as friends.  In fact, if he finds us, his servants, watching, he will have us sit at table and will serve us.  He will give us his body to eat and his blood, to drink.

Lord Jesus, increase our faith.  And grant us a living faith and the new life; but no longer we who live, but you in us.  Thus, we will be able to do all things in you who give us strength and turn strong when we are weak.  Make our faith, far from being a tranquilizer that leaves us doing nothing, give us strength.  So that we may bear our share in the hard work of the Good News.  And so that we may face head on the tough times of wars, “hopelessness, corruption, injustices, natural disasters and poverty of different forms.”

5 October 2025
27th Sunday in O.T. (C)
Hab 1, 2-3; 2, 2-4; 2 Tim 1, 6-8. 13-14; Lk 17, 5-10