2013-10-03          Daniel Daring             2013 articles              2012 articles

  
27th Sunday:  The righteous will live by faith

Habakkuk 1:2-3, 2:2-4; 2 Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14; Luke 17:5-10

(Comments welcome here)        

 As I am writing this reflection (2007) the crucifixion of Myanmar continues. The leaders of the world paid their lip service to the protesters; TV networks (BBC and CNN) did their job of reporting; the UN envoy shook hands with the criminals. Yet, nothing has changed. The concentration camps are filled with innocent people; the monks are being burned at the stake; the militaries have no intention to step down. “O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not listen? Or cry to you ‘Violence!’ and you will not save?” (Habakkuk 1:2). The crucifixion of Myanmar has entered its forty fifth year with no signs of resurrection in the foreseeable future.  

Justice never prevails  

We know nothing about the life of Habakkuk. Presumably he was active during the reign of Jehoiakim (609 – 598 BCE), the king of Judah, at the time when the Babylonian Empire was expanding its merciless kingdom, threatening the very existence of the Jewish nation. Yet we know something about his world, a world where “justice never goes forth,” where “the wicked surround the righteous,” and where “the guilty men, whose own might is their god,” bring terror and destruction upon the earth. The prophet could not comprehend how God, whose “eyes are too pure to behold evil” and who “cannot look on wrongdoing,” tolerated such crimes (Habakkuk 1:4-13).

We may boast of our scientific and technological achievements, but when it comes to the issue of justice, our world resembles that of Habakkuk. In June 1986 the International Court of Justice (the judicial organ of the U.N.), condemned the U.S. for its military involvement in Nicaragua. The decision was disregarded by the Reagan Administration and Congress increased its military and financial assistance to the Contras (an army of mercenaries) that was destroying that nation. A Chinese businessman owns a mining company near Handan (China). When the workers came to receive their salary, they only got half of what was agreed upon. Those who protested were beaten by thugs of the businessman and the nearby hospital refused to treat them. “Justice never prevails,” was the complaint of the prophet (Habakkuk 1:4). And we also wonder how God can tolerate such crimes.  

Living by faith  

“I will keep watch to see what he will say to me, and what he will answer concerning my complaint” (Habakkuk 2:1). We would like to hear the answer to that complaint. The prophet received a vision, which he did not disclose to us. It seemed to make him hopeful and trusting. However, for our sake he recorded this promise: “Behold, he whose soul is puffed up in him shall fail, but the righteous shall live by his faith” (Habakkuk 2:4). What could it mean?

Once, the apostles came to Jesus with a request, “Increase our faith,” presuming that they had a certain degree of it. Jesus made them realize, however, that they were wrong. “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed,” was Jesus’ response, “you can say to this sycamore tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will have obey you” (Luke 17:6). The conditional structure of this sentence indicates Jesus’ intention. Instead of telling his apostles, ‘Sure, I will pray and you will have greater faith than you have now,’ Jesus states that they do not even have faith the size of a mustard seed. If they had they would have been able to do unimaginable things. Our faith is as shaky as theirs. Together with Don Moen we can sing, ‘I have made you too small in my eyes, O Lord, forgive me. And I have believed in a lie that you were unable to help me.’ Since our God cannot help us, so we have to help ourselves. And then, our hearts get hardened. Indifference takes over. And we say: ‘But, what can I do? I am nobody.’

The Book of Habakkuk ends with a vision of God coming on His chariots of victory. Before Him goes pestilence and “plague followed close behind” (Habakkuk 3:5). There is power hidden in the rays that are coming from his hand. He comes to save His people and to crush “the head of the wicked house” (Habakkuk 3:13). The vision is so assuring that the prophet confesses: “I will quietly wait for the day of trouble to come upon people who invade us” (Habakkuk 3:16). This is hope that the prophet brings to our lives. Justice will prevail; it will not be perverted for ever; and those who believe that their own might is their god, will terribly regret their ruthless acts of terror and injustice. Faith has no degrees. We either have it or not. And if we have it, it does not matter that we do not count in the eyes of the world. We count in God’s eyes and He can use us to uproot not only trees, but kingdoms and empires.

 Conclusion  

In 1917, the Bolshevik revolution gave rise to the Russian Empire, making the whole world tremble at its might and power. Who could have foreseen that it would disintegrate after 83 years? For now, the Myanmar junta seems to be invincible and the world does not have any intention to mess up with it. Yet, all signs indicate that their days are already numbered. Having lived in the world so similar to ours, Habakkuk left us this encouraging prayer:  

Though the fig tree does not blossom,

And no fruit is on the vines;

Though the produce of the olive fails

And the fields yield no food;

Though the flock is cut off from the fold

And there is no herd in the stalls,

Yet I will rejoice in the Lord;

I will exult in the God of my salvation. (Habakkuk 3:17-18)  

-------------