Homily for the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time C: When God Seems Silent

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, Sunday, October 5, 2025 When God seems silent: persevere in the faith that moves mountains First Reading: Habakkuk 1:2-3; 2:2-4. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9. Second Reading: 2 Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14. Gospel: Luke 17:5-10 We often find ourselves caught up in the complexities of life, whether personal joys and sorrows or broader issues concerning our world. Every day, we are confronted with violence, injustice, exploitation, war, and religious persecution; we see these things every day and wonder where God is in all of this. When we experience all this, we sometimes cry out to God, like the prophet Habakkuk in the first reading: "How long, Lord, must I cry for help and you will not hear me?" Have you ever cried out to God and felt as if heaven remained silent? The prophet is utterly frustrated that God does not intervene to end his people's anguish and fear. We are tempted to ask God a series of "whys": Why does the Lord remain silent while people are dying? Why doesn't God speak when the unfaithful triumph and the wicked devour the good? Why doesn't God intervene in the world, especially when suffering and evil seem to triumph? Why does God tolerate the wicked? So, what is God's response to this despair? He says to the prophet: "The righteous will live by their faithfulness." Not by sight. Not by quick answers. But by faith. When prayers seem unanswered, or when suffering seems insurmountable, we could, like the apostles in today's Gospel, plead, "Lord, increase our faith!" And Jesus replies: Faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains. Faith is not the denial of problems; it is the decision to trust God's promises even in darkness. We believe that faith is the only power that can save the world, a task that seems impossible. Every day, we pray for faith. Jesus's answer to the apostles is profound but simple: "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you." It's not about the size of our faith, but its quality, the sincere trust we place in God. He doesn't seek our perfection, but our presence. God is aware of every struggle, every doubt, and every difficulty you face. He sees you, He hears you, and He knows the "spiral of violence" that Archbishop Helder Camara spoke of, whether it concerns global injustice or our personal struggles. Saint Paul reminds Timothy and all of us that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, love, and self-control. These are the tools we need to live faithfully in a chaotic world. God has endowed us with the power to resist despair, the love to bridge divisions and care for others, and the self-control to respond to evil with dignity, not revenge. So when the weight of the world or your personal burdens seem heavy, remember this crucial truth: God is aware. Our call, like Habakkuk's, is to live faithfully. This faithfulness is not about understanding every step of God's plan, but about trusting in His goodness, even when the path is unclear. Let this small seed of faith, a gift from God, take root and grow. Prayer: Merciful God, we thank you for your unwavering awareness of all our needs. When our world seems broken and you seem far away, increase our faith. When violence surrounds us, fill us with your power, love, and self-control. Teach us to trust, to serve, and to hope. Help us believe that even the smallest faith can bear fruit in a hurting world. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. #27thSunday #FaithThatMovesMountains #WhenGodSeemsSilent #PersevereInFaith #CatholicHomily #WordOfGod #GospelOfTheDay #LivingByFaith #TrustInGod #FaithAndHope #JubileeOfHope #PilgrimsOfHope #PowerOfLoveSelfControl #FaithAndCourage #GodIsFaithful #SundayHomily #CatholicFaith #ChristianHope #PathOfFaith #BelievingInDespiteEverything