FIRST READING
Habakkuk 1:12—2:4
Are you not from eternity, O LORD, my holy God, immortal? O LORD, you have marked him for judgment, O Rock, you have readied him punishment! Too pure are your eyes to look upon evil, and the sight of misery you cannot endure. Why, then, do you gaze on the faithless in silence while the wicked man devours one more just than himself? You have made man like the fish of the sea, like creeping things without a ruler. He brings them all up with his hook, he hauls them away with his net, He gathers them in his seine; and so he rejoices and exults. Therefore he sacrifices to his net, and burns incense to his seine; for thanks to them his portion is generous, and his repast sumptuous. Shall he, then, keep on brandishing his sword to slay peoples without mercy?
I will stand at my guard post, and station myself upon the rampart, And keep watch to see what he will say to me, and what answer he will give to my complaint.
Then the LORD answered me and said:
Write down the vision Clearly upon the tablets, so that one can read it readily. 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. The rash man has no integrity; but the just man, because of his faith, shall live.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 9:8-9, 10-11, 12-13
R. (11b) You forsake not those who seek you, O Lord.
The LORD sits enthroned forever; he has set up his throne for judgment. He judges the world with justice; he governs the peoples with equity.
R. You forsake not those who seek you, O Lord.
The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of distress. They trust in you who cherish your name, for you forsake not those who seek you, O LORD.
R. You forsake not those who seek you, O Lord.
Sing praise to the LORD enthroned in Zion; proclaim among the nations his deeds; For the avenger of blood has remembered; he has not forgotten the cry of the poor.
R. You forsake not those who seek you, O Lord.
ALLELUIA
See 2 Timothy 1:10
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed death and brought life to light through the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL
Matthew 17:14-20
A man came up to Jesus, knelt down before him, and said, “Lord, have pity on my son, who is a lunatic and suffers severely; often he falls into fire, and often into water. I brought him to your disciples, but they could not cure him.” Jesus said in reply, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long will I be with you? How long will I endure you? Bring the boy here to me.” Jesus rebuked him and the demon came out of him, and from that hour the boy was cured. Then the disciples approached Jesus in private and said, “Why could we not drive it out?” He said to them, “Because of your little faith. Amen, I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
REFLECTIONS:
What kind of faith does the Lord expect of us, especially
when we meet set-backs and trials? Inevitably there are times when each
of us disappoint others or disappoint ourselves when we suffer some kind
of set-back or failure. In this gospel incident the disciples of Jesus
fail to heal an epileptic boy. Jesus' response seems stern; but it is really
tempered with love and compassion. We see at once Jesus' dismay with the
disciples' lack of faith and his concern to meet the need of this troubled
boy and his father. With one word of command Jesus rebukes the evil spirit
that has caused this boy's affliction and tells the spirit to "never enter
him again". Jesus tells his disciples that they can "remove mountains"
if they have faith in God. The expression to "remove mountains" was a common
Jewish phrase for removing difficulties. A wise teacher who could solve
difficulties was called a "mountain remover". If we pray with expectant
faith God will give us the means to overcome difficulties and obstacles.
When you meet trials and disappointments how do you respond? With
faith and trust in Jesus?
"Lord Jesus, help my unbelief! Increase my faith and trust in your saving
power. Give me confidence and perseverance, especially in prayer. And help
me to bring your healing love and truth to those I meet".
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