Faithfulness, Fruitfulness, and Maintaining Our Prayerful Presence before God

Homily for Thursday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Malichi has a very strongly worded accusation embedded in the oracle that we read today. He is obviously addressing an audience of people who speak harshly about God’s expectations of them, eschewing their devotion to the covenant relationship between the people and God. He delivers a message from God which promises to remember those who remain faithful to him rather than to those who are arrogant or indifferent about their relationship to God. The psalm response to this reading praises those who have remained faithful and compares them to fruitful trees planted near the running water.

When we combine Malachi’s oracle and the psalm response, we can find comfort in them as people who are devoted to God through frequent attendance at our daily Eucharist. While the world seems to reward arrogance and indifference, God reminds us that by virtue of our faithfulness, we can call ourselves God’s own possession.

The Gospel parable reinforces that message as it holds up admiration for those who are bold and persistent in their loving relationship with God through prayer. Our experience as faithful disciples can be exceptionally comforting, especially as we grow older and more dependent upon those who care for us. Age and infirmity are but a prelude to the day when the sun of justice will rise with its healing rays.

The message from the Scriptures today is, therefore, about faithfulness, fruitfulness, and maintaining our prayerful presence before God. As Malachi reminds us, God will have compassion on us as one has compassion on those who serve God’s will and God’s kingdom.