The Just Will Live by Faith â Silvio JosĂ© BĂĄez, ocd
Homily for the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Miami, October 5, 2025
In the first reading this Sunday, we heard a passage from the book of the prophet Habakkuk, one of the smaller and lesser-known books of the Bible. Habakkuk is different from the great prophets who came before him, who publicly denounced sin and injustice. His prophecy, by contrast, resembles more a passionate prayer of solidarity. The prophet complains and protests to God.
A Cry from the Midst of Injustice
What was happening in Habakkukâs time, in the seventh century BC, confounded him and filled him with a strong sense of powerlessness. The emerging Babylonian empire was imposing itself with the might of its powerful army, dominating the small kingdoms of the ancient Near East. Within the kingdom of Judah, local authoritiesâkings and magistratesâoppressed the people, stripping them of their freedom and impoverishing them more and more each day.
In that international scenario of violence and injusticeâdominated by the power of arms, oppression, and wrongdoingâthe prophet Habakkuk raises his voice, not to protest injustice publicly among men, but to appeal to God. He reproaches God for failing to carry out justice, defend victims, or intervene in history to restore the law that has been violated.
Letâs hear the dramatic words the prophet addresses to God:
âHow long, Lord, shall I call for help without being heard?
I cry out to You about violence, but You donât intervene.
Why do You let me see injustice and remain indifferent to oppression?
I see destruction and violence, disputes and conflictsâ (Hab 1:1â2).
These are strong, sincere, passionate words from a believing heart that refuses to resign itself to evil.
Wrestling with God
Habakkuk denounces the oppression and violence of the powerful, but he also expresses his bewilderment and indignation before the Lord, the supreme judge, the Holy and Just God, who doesnât intervene, remaining a spectator to sufferingâbut without acting. The words Habakkuk addresses to God are intense, almost scandalous.
This prophet teaches us that we canât be indifferent to tyrants who impose their will through repression and violence. He also teaches us that we shouldnât resign ourselves to being intimidated by the wicked and their cynical words. Above all, he shows that in situations of injustice and oppression we must turn our hearts to God in prayer.
Habakkuk reminds us that prayer isnât just asking, much less crossing our arms and expecting everything from God. Prayer is also struggling with God in the night of His apparent absence, crying out to Him, protesting, and breaking the silence. Prayer is presenting ourselves to God with the oppression of the people, the suffering of the victims, and the anguish of seeing the wicked still triumph in history.
In the darkest and most painful moments, in situations that seem impossible to overcome, we mustnât sink into solitude. We must learn to cry out to God from the contradictions, conflicts, and challenges of life.
Image credit: Jaclyn Moy via Unsplash The Lordâs Reply
In the end, the Lord answered the prophet Habakkukânot by offering a magical solution or sparing him the effort to keep fighting, but with mysterious words inviting him to wait and trust.
âThe Lord answered me and said:
Write down the vision Iâve revealed to you; make it clear on tablets so that it can be read easily.
Itâs still a vision of the distant future, but itâs coming and wonât fail.
If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come.
The wicked wonât survive, but the just will live by their faithâ (Hab 2:2â4).
The prophet, a direct witness to the course of history, now receives an invitation from the Lord to contemplate history from a different perspective, with the assurance that evil and injustice will never prevail. God promises to intervene and bring justice, ensuring that the oppressor and tyrant will disappear completely, leaving no trace in history.
He also asks the prophet to write down this promise as evidence of His faithfulness:
âThe wicked wonât survive, but the just will live by their faithâ (Hab 2:4).
The time will come when the cynical tongues and the criminal weapons of arrogant tyrants are silenced forever. One day, theyâll be defeated. The Lord tells Habakkuk, âThis time will come, and if it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely comeâ (Hab 2:3).
Faith that Transforms
Waiting isnât easy, because to wait isnât just to let things happen, but to trust in the Lordâs promise and cooperate with Him to bring about historical change. Whatâs asked of Habakkuk is to have faith in Godâs promise.
Todayâs Gospel also speaks about faith. The disciples ask Jesus to increase their faith (Lk 17:5). Surprisingly, He tells them that they donât need enormous faith; even faith thatâs humble and small, like a mustard seed, can achieve things that seem impossibleâlike uprooting a tree and planting it in the sea (Lk 17:6).
Faith thatâs humble and small can change our lives, give us a new mindset, and energize our commitment to justice. Itâs a matter of quality, not quantity.
Living by Faith
The faith we need isnât extraordinary or miraculous. In our fragility, itâs a faith that makes us feel a greater need for God. In our littleness, it leads us to live with deeper trust in Him and encourages us to abandon ourselves to the Lord and trust Him more intensely each day. As believers, we mustnât be discouraged by what seems impossible.
Through faith in the Lord, believers become âuseless servants.â âUselessâ doesnât mean someone is good for nothing or incapable. The Greek word in the text describes people who expect no benefit for themselves, seek no personal advantage, live without craving recognition, need nothing but to be themselves, and desire nothing more than to serve others with love.
This is the power of faith that the Lord asked of the prophet Habakkuk, His disciples, and of us today.
Holding Fast to Hope
Letâs let our lives be guided and strengthened by faith, even if itâs as small as a mustard seed. Faith doesnât mean ignoring whatâs happening or leaving everything in Godâs hands. Rather, it gives us the courage to speak out against evil and never accept injustice as inevitable.
Letâs take history seriously, refusing to grow numb to the oppression of the people or the suffering of the victims. Letâs fight with hope, staying strong, supporting one another, and holding on to optimism. God promises that good and justice will triumph.
All it takes is a handful of humble, compassionate hearts, a tiny bit of faith, and a fresh vision of hope.
Silvio José Båez, o.c.d.
Auxiliary Bishop of Managua
Homily, 5 October 2025
Translation from the Spanish text is the bloggerâs own work product and may not be reproduced without permission.
Featured image: Cardinal Leopoldo JosĂ© Brenes, Bishop Silvio JosĂ© BĂĄez, and Apostolic Nuncio Waldemar StanisĆaw Sommertag lead a Eucharistic procession in Masaya, Nicaragua, on June 21, 2018, during a moment of national crisis. Image credit: Courtesy of Bishop Silvio JosĂ© BĂĄez, ocd (By kind permission).
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