"The Measure of All Things" - 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C

During the golden age of Athens Socrates was in the midst of his great teaching career, a career that would ultimately lead to his death at the hands of the Athenian city state. During that time, Socrates' main opponent was Protagoras, who argued that man is the measure of all things. This statement means that there is no transcendent reality that determines how we ought to live our lives, no objective truth to order our behavior, and no other person whose very presence obligates us in some way to respond beyond ourselves. The flaws of this philosophy are obvious to us who profess belief in God, but our mere external profession does not immunize us from the temptation to live and think as if we are the measure of all things. Very often our prayers are self-centered, and even when we pray for others there often is a hidden motive of our own selfish concerns addressed in those petitions. The readings for today's Mass remind us of this temptation and they provide a remedy to overcome it.


The prophet Habakkuk wrote during the time just before the invasion of Israel by the Babylonian army in 586 B.C. He sees the coming destruction of Jerusalem and so he addresses a lament prayer to God that seems somewhat selfish: why do I have to see his wickednss and destruction? The brutal honesty of Jewish prayes is refreshing in a certain sense, and God certainly appreciates it as well because God responds with brutal honesty as well: the just will live because of their faith. In effect, God is telling the prophet that whether you see good things or bad, it does not matter. What matters is that you trust God in all things and practice justice toward all.


Hearing God's word can be a great challenge. The psalmist reminds us that hearing God's word is not enough. His ancestors heard God's word in the desert, and yet their hearts were hardened and they failed to believe. Despite the many great signs God performed for them, th Israelites continually fell into idolatr and injustice. These sins revisit Israel and lead to their downfall that Habakkuk is about to witness.


The letter to Timothy that forms our second reading today describes a community that is in fear of giving witness to their faith. Despite their many external observances and exercises, the community still cannot rekindle the flame of their original faith commitment. The answer to the problem does not lie outside of ourselves; instead, it dwells within us. The answer is not ourselves and what we do - the answer is found in listening to the Holy Spirit who dwells deep within us, encouraging us in the way we should walk. The performance of external actions and rituals are not bad in themselves, but if they are not accompanied by deep faith their value is nil. Faith only comes through a deep and abiding relationship with the God who dwells within us.


Jesus provides the final tonic to the temptation to measure all things in ourselves. The call of discipleship is one of service, a call that requires humility to realize our place in the universe. God has made us to serve Him by serving others. We can have no legitimate complaint against God because we have received all from him. Only faith can lead us to an authentic life of service, a life that is also one of justice. We can then forget ourselves and reach out towards others. As the Second Vatican Council stated: "Only the light of faith, and meditation on the Word of God can enable us to find everywhere and always the God 'in whom we live and exist' (cf. Acts 17: 28); only thus can we seek his will in everything, see Christ in all men, acquaintance or stranger, make soun judgments on the true meaning and value of temporal realities both in themselves and in relation to man's end." (Second Vatican Council, Apostolican Actuositatem, #4)


Authentic justice comes in a life of faith, and the life of faith is grounded in a profound prayer life that communicates with the Holy Spirit who dwells deep within us, ready to form us into servants for the kingdom of God. May our concluding prayer lead us to the Holy Spirit who grants faith to us that we might live lives of justice and service: "Let us pray before the face of God in trusting faith. Almighty and eternal God, Father of the world to come, your goodness is beyond what our spirit can reach. Lead us to seek beyond our reach and give us the courae to stand before your truth. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen."