Twenty Seventh Sunday Ordinary Time Cycle C

October 2, 2022

Review the Readings

Listen to the Readings

 

 

It seems that for each of us there are those moments when we wonder why God works the way God does, and why it often takes so long.

 

In the first reading, this prophet, who was  living in about 600 BC., was telling God about the bad situation with the people who had turned to idols and concerns about money, possessions, status, etc.  

He wondered why  God was not reacting to any of this.

 

For each of us today, as in the time of this prophet, we can, at times, question how God works and ask why it can takes so long, perhaps years or even centuries. Only God seems to know the time element of his plans. But we, like this prophet, do often question God.

 

But we have to also reflect on how merciful God is, and that He wants all people, even serious sinners, to reach eternal life.  Remember that Jesus never refused to heal anyone who was a sinner or who has done evil. He knew God had a plan for each individual person, and that time was not the major concern.

 

In the Gospel, Jesus is helping the apostles to trust in God.  These words of the Gospel certainly apply to each of us, especially in those moments when we question  how God works and why it takes so long.

 

 

 
It is a call for each of us to ask for the gift of faith.

 

 

 

 

In the second reading, St. Paul, who is in prison and waiting for the moment of his execution, writes this second letter to Timothy.

 In this situation, Paul seems to clearly understand that God works in mysterious ways, even in his sufferings and threat of his soon to happen execution.

We also have to remember the young man Timothy, who was the Bishop of Ephesus.  The situation of the people around him was difficult or almost impossible.  Most were pagans or Jews who did not except the teachings of Jesus and often reported Christians to the Roman authorities.  Many who followed the teachings of Christ were martyred. 

We can imagine that both St. Paul and St. Timothy could have questioned about why God was taking so long, and about why God worked the way He did, but they did not.
They had a deep trust, a faith in God.

 

 

It is so easy to trust God, to have faith, when things are going well.

But the real test for our faith is in those times that are difficult, those times in which we don't understand, those times that are even impossible.

 

We need to reflect back on what Jesus told his apostles about the mustard seed being so small, and yet, even with a small amount of faith only the size of a mustard seed, wonders can happen.  The same was true for St. Paul in Timothy and the situations that were very difficult for them.

 

So, this week, check out where your faith is in the times that are stressful, or difficult, or even impossible.

 Where is your faith?  

That may be the time to request the same thing  the Apostles had requested of Him...

 

...and remember in all situations, God is teaching us, so we can reach eternal life.

 

 

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