Description
The readings for this week remind us that our experience of life can include challenging situations – suffering, being hurt, injustice, being hated, chaos, disaster, violence, corruption, etc. When we, either individually or collectively in our church community, experience one or more of life’s curveballs, these lectionary readings encourage us to turn to God. Habakkuk’s frustration is evident at God’s apparent lack of intervention in the face of the injustice and corruption Habakkuk sees around him. Yet, in the middle of it all, Habakkuk cries out to God rather than complaining about God, thus allowing God to speak into Habakkuk’s situation. Paul’s words to the church at Thessalonica encourage the people of God there, in the midst of their troubles, to keep growing in faith and love together. Finally, we meet Zacchaeus. What a transformation, we see in Zacchaeus as a result of his meeting with Jesus. What an encouragement to us, to keep on turning to Jesus!
In the book of Habakkuk, Habakkuk is complaining to God that life in Israel is a disaster. God’s people are not obeying God. The leaders are corrupt, violence and injustice the result. Habakkuk is crying out to God to act, but nothing is changing. God responds, promising Habakkuk that God will right these wrongs – though it may take time, and Habakkuk is to wait patiently.
The start of 2 Thessalonians 1 says “…To the church in Thessalonica, the people of God…”. This is a great reminder that Paul is writing to a whole church. A whole faith community, not individuals. Paul wanted to encourage them in their collective faith, not just their individual faith. Today we are invited to reflect on the encouragement it is to be part of a faith community, and the importance and blessing it is to be able to love and care for our sisters and brothers in Christ together.
In the well-known Bible story of Zacchaeus in Luke 19:1-10, we see someone who is transformed by meeting Jesus. Zacchaeus’ life after meeting Jesus is radically different to before he met Jesus. Jesus sees him. Jesus seeks him out. Jesus calls him by name. Zacchaeus is profoundly changed through his encounter with Jesus.
