Memorial of Saint Josaphat, Bishop & Martyr
First Reading: 3 John 5-8
Beloved, you are faithful in all you do for the brothers and sisters,
especially for strangers;
they have testified to your love before the Church.
Please help them in a way worthy of God to continue their journey.
For they have set out for the sake of the Name
and are accepting nothing from the pagans.
Therefore, we ought to support such persons,
so that we may be co-workers in the truth.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 112:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
Blessed the man who fears the LORD,
who greatly delights in his commands.
His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth;
the upright generation shall be blessed.
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
Wealth and riches shall be in his house;
his generosity shall endure forever.
Light shines through the darkness for the upright;
he is gracious and merciful and just.
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
Well for the man who is gracious and lends,
who conducts his affairs with justice;
He shall never be moved;
the just one shall be in everlasting remembrance.
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
Gospel: Luke 18:1-8
Jesus told his disciples a parable
about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary.
He said, “There was a judge in a certain town
who neither feared God nor respected any human being.
And a widow in that town used to come to him and say,
‘Render a just decision for me against my adversary.’
For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought,
‘While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being,
because this widow keeps bothering me
I shall deliver a just decision for her
lest she finally come and strike me.’”
The Lord said, “Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says.
Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones
who call out to him day and night?
Will he be slow to answer them?
I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily.
But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
NAB
"But when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?"
This Scripture verse troubles me—haunts me, even.
I look around and observe that while there are faithful pockets of people scattered here and there, my family has chosen to live in an area that is almost proud to be defined by its sheer lack of faith. Sadly, the Pacific Northwest, for all its God-given beauty, boasts the highest rate per capita of “nones”—those individuals who respond to surveys indicating that they have no faith at all.
Driving around in my aging minivan covered with pro-life and other religious bumper stickers, I realize that we stick out like a sore thumb. People don’t give a second thought to advertising their sports and political preferences; why shouldn’t we proclaim our love for Christ and His Church as we roam the highways and bi-ways of our city?
Still, Jesus’ words today continue to challenge me. “No, Lord,” I lament. “You likely won’t find much faith here.”
But then I realize that others’ faithfulness, over which I exert little to no control, cannot be the point. Rather, I should be looking inward, asking myself: Will Jesus find faith in me?
It’s not enough to slap a bumper sticker on my minivan or say that I have faith. Do I truly believe with every fiber of my being that He is the Son of God and the Son of Man? Do I know in the depths of my soul that He came to Earth to die for me because He loves me deeply and intimately, and that He wants nothing more than to bring me to Heaven to be with Him forever?
Do I encounter my family, friends and even the “nones” as if these truths are not just meant for me but for each of them as well? Does God’s love and kindness, generosity, and forgiveness flow out from me like an endless spring of living water? Am I bringing His light, His peace, and His joy along with me wherever I go? Do I pray without ceasing? Or . . . do I act as one without faith?
How does your life reflect authentic faith in a living God, and where are some areas where you could seek to improve? Pray for the courage to live the fullness of your Christian faith in spirit and in truth.
Heather Renshaw is a writer, speaker, and uplifter on a mission to love and serve God with her husband and five children in the unchurched Pacific NW. You can learn more about her here.
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