Dear Friend of Carmel Mission,
In the Gospel today Jesus demonstrates how fully He understands humanity. He acknowledges the disciples’ earnest desire to grow their faith with an example of the great feats even a small amount of faith can accomplish, and then immediately tells a parable in which the servant receives no special treatment for doing what is expected. The disciples are building on what they, and all of us, have been learning the past few weeks – that they can be agents in their own spiritual growth. They can pray for an increase in faith, and an increase in both their will, and their ability, to serve God. I am reminded of what Thomas Merton famously said, “I believe that the desire to please you does, in fact, please you.”
In his dialogue with God in the first reading , the prophet Habakkuk expresses something I know we can all relate to, “How long, O Lord? I cry for help but you do not listen!” We are still crying out today. We cry out against injustice, against violence, against war. We cry out with our own pain and our fear. And yet injustice, violence and war continue to exist. We continue to suffer loss and illness. Our hearts continue to break – and where is God? As Habakkuk realizes, God is in the conversation. We cry out, and God does answer, not always with the answer we want, but with the answer we need. If we do not immediately see how God is working with, and for, us, we have the encouragement God gives Habakkuk, “For the vision still has its time, presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint; if it delays, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late.”
God’s creative work is never finished. God is constantly creating and re-creating in our world and in our lives, inching us towards the time that His glory is fully revealed to us. Our faith keeps us looking forward to this day, and gives us the courage to be collaborators with our God whose Kingdom is both here, and is yet to come.
I wish you and your loved ones blessings of good heath, deep peace, and renewed faith.
Fr. Paul
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