Faith is a gift that must be nourished, for it sustains us and empowers us. In the first reading, the prophet Habakkuk and God are engaging in a dialogue about justice. Habakkuk calls out to God, asking how long he must endure destruction, violence, strife, and discord. The Lord responds that it may be a while: 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 Lord fulfills his promises, but he does so in his own time, and he is encouraging Habakkuk, and us, to trust and have faith. He says, The rash one has no integrity; but the just one, because of his faith, shall live. Impatience is not a virtue, but faith is. We do not know how long we must endure various hardships while on earth, but we are called to persevere in faith until the end: The just one, because of his faith, shall live.

This is much like what Paul writes to Timothy, as he encourages him to bear [his] share of hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from God. He tells him to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands. In Timothy’s case, this is the gift of ordination to an ecclesial office. Likewise, each of us who has been baptized has received the Holy Spirit, and when confirmed we are filled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit – gifts that strengthen us to bear witness to our faith in Christ. We can call upon the Lord to stir into flame these gifts when we are faced with suffering or circumstances that challenge our faith.

We can keep in mind Jesus’ words regarding faith when things get tough because God is not bound by our limitations. As he says in response to the Apostles asking him to increase their faith: If they had faith even the size of a mustard seed, they could command the mulberry tree to be uprooted and plant itself in the sea.

Faith is the theological virtue by which we believe in God and all that he has said and revealed to us because he is truth itself. By faith, “man freely commits his entire self to God” (CCC 1814). God gives the gift of faith freely. To preserve this priceless gift let us read the Scriptures, deepen our prayer life, and place our hope in God’s promises. As we celebrate the Eucharist today, we give thanks for our faith and ask God to increase and nourish it.

(Fr. Michał Pająk, OMI, Oct. 5, 2025)