Faith Sees Us Through

Homily for Saturday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time

The eleventh chapter of the Letter to the Hebrews is, without a doubt, one of my favorite passages from the Scriptures. I find it somewhat disappointing that the entire chapter is not quoted in the daily readings for the liturgy. Instead, the Lectionary for Daily Mass reduces the chapter considerably and breaks it up into two days of proclamation. It is also unfortunate that the two readings are separated by a Sunday which means it loses something of its full effect. I have often referred to it as a review of the Hebrew Scriptures as it covers God’s plan of salvation by speaking of the many characters from the Hebrew Scriptures who put their faith in God. Both the reading that we proclaim today and that which we will proclaim on Monday contain a statement that validates the thought that the men and women of the Hebrew Scriptures believed in God despite the fact that they did not realize all that God had promised. Indeed, we are in a privileged position when we are compared to the men and women of the time before Jesus because we have realized the fulfillment of God’s promise.

Today, the faith of Abraham and Sarah stands in stark contrast to the lack of faith displayed by the apostles who are caught in the storm on the Sea of Galilee. Unlike Abraham and Sarah, the disciples allow their worries to overtake their trust in Jesus. The final question they ask – “Who then is this?” – reveals how much they have yet to learn and understand.

This is a salutary lesson for us as well. Each of us must ultimately ask who Jesus is and what difference Jesus makes in our lives of faith. For three weeks we have been reading from this Letter to the Hebrews. Throughout this book of Scripture, the author has tried to impress upon us that every life experiences difficulties that test one’s faith. The characters from the Old Testament stand as witnesses to the power of faith. The disciples in today’s Gospel proclamation remind us that doubt is not a new phenomenon. Finding the strength and grace to face the inevitable struggles of life, even in the midst of its storms, is a lifelong process. The Scriptures are full of people who exemplify what it means to be people of faith despite the fact that they have suffered so many difficulties.

Finally, we have the example of Jesus himself who trusted his Father even as he hung on the cross. Our daily celebration of the Eucharist reminds us not only of God’s plan of salvation but also of all those who have gone before us with faith.