Aug 10th, 2025: 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Faith is the realization of what is hoped for…and evidence of things not seen.
By faith, Abraham obeyed God, walking forward when the road was hidden. He was literally called out of the land where he lived, not knowing where he was to go, and he sojourned in the promised land.
So it was that there came forth from one man – and one woman – both beyond the age and ability to bear children – descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sands on the seashore.
And in the Gospel we heard:
Gird your loins and light your lamps.
Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival. The master will gird (explain gird – get ready for work) himself and proceed to wait on the servants.
If the master of the house had known the hour when the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.
There are two ideas here: Faith and Obedience (definitely not our favorite word)
In the Letter to the Hebrews, we hear about Abraham and Sarah — ordinary people who were given an extraordinary promise: descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.
This promise came not when they were young, but when they were old. From a worldly perspective, it seemed impossible.
Faith means walking forward when the road is hidden. Faith is not wishful thinking or naive optimism. It’s a deep trust in the character of God — that He is who He says He is, and He will do what He says He will do, even if we don’t see it in our lifetime.
And so Abraham became the father of nations — not because he had a plan, but because he trusted the One who holds all plans.
The Gospel adds another dimension to this: the call to obedience, even when God seems far — “like a master who is away.” Jesus tells us that the faithful servant is the one who continues to do the master’s will, even in the master’s absence.
This is a challenge in life: When God seems silent, when prayer feels dry, when the Church is mocked or misunderstood, when members of the Church, the clergy, do unspeakable things; when for us, doing the right thing, comes at a cost — it can be tempting in those times, to give up or to coast.
But Jesus is clear: “Blessed is that servant whom the master finds doing his will when he returns.” Our call is to be ready, not with frantic activity in the moment, but with steady, faithful obedience throughout our lives. The kind that is formed in silence, in hidden acts of love, in small daily choices — the kind that remains firm even when we don’t feel God’s presence.
Faith and obedience are not separate. Faith gives us the courage to obey, even when the road ahead is hidden. And obedience strengthens our faith, even when it seems that God is so distant.
Abraham didn’t just believe God — he acted on that belief. He left his homeland. He was willing to offer up Isaac. His faith led to obedience. And through both, God’s plan unfolded.
So too with us. In our families, our work, our parishes — we are called to walk in faith and live in obedience. Even when we don’t understand. Even when we don’t feel inspired. Even when the master (God) feels far away.
Because He is not far. He is near. And He is faithful.
Even in the turmoil, the work, the unexplained tragedies of this life… He is not far. He is near. And He is faithful.
Let us, then, like Abraham and Sarah, believe in God’s promises. Let us obey Him, even in the silence. And when the Master returns — whether in this life or the next — may He find us faithful: doing his will, every day.