WORD 2day: Saturday, 18th week in Ordinary time
August 8, 2020: Habakkuk 1:12 - 2:4; Matthew 17:14-20
Righteous shall live by their faith! It is a famous verse, oft repeated, almost a bumper sticker material. But what is the meaning of it... does it mean, that all those who say they have faith are righteous? or that those who live are all righteous, those who escape tragedies are all righteous, while others are not? What do we really mean when we repeat that verse over and over again? It will be clear only when we understand what we mean by those two words: faith and righteousness!
Righteousness...in simple words it is living the right life...doing the right thing! But, is that all? What is the right thing in the eyes of the Lord? How do we know it? It is simply whatever is the most loving thing to do at a point of time, that is right in the eyes of the Lord (love understood in the proper sense of the term, not some emotional feeling). So doing the right thing in the eyes of the Lord...not for the returns, not for the privileges but for its own sake. Being right for the sake of being right, that is being right in the eyes of the Lord.
Faith... if we have it we have everything; if we have everything but faith, there is a lack that nothing else can complete. Because faith is our link, our network, our umbilical chord with God, our father and mother. If we lose it, we are lost! This is why Jesus expresses his displeasure in such plain terms to his disciples, when he found them lacking in this 'touch' with the Lord.
Now lets come back to those words...the righteous shall live by their faith! Prophet Habakkuk speaks of the great promises of the Lord and recommends the anxious awaiting hearts to faith and says, in faith the righteous ones shall see every word of the Lord come true! The delay that is involved in the designs of the Lord coming to pass, is a painful crisis to every expectant heart. We would be listed among the ranks of the righteous if we hold on in faith and have the patience of seeing the power of God shine through and until then, go about doing good, living a life that is right in the eyes of the Lord.
A bit of faith will make us strong, enduring, persevering, resilient, patient, persistent, serene, unassailable... yes, just a bit of faith! That is all it takes.