Habukuk is a prophet of the Lord who sings his messages in the temple. He tells the people that the Lord will allow them to be taken over by the Babylonians because they still refuse to love the Lord with their hearts.
Habukkuk the prophet is unsure of the messages he is receiving from the Lord. Although Jeremiah also spoke of the terrible things that would happen to the people of Israel, Habukkuk hears specifically how the ruling house of Judah will be destroyed. (Remember, Judah is one of the sons of Jacob who protected Joseph - his descendants are where all the kings of Israel come from because the first was David.)
The Lord will not protect Israel this time from destruction because they continue their human sacrifices and pagan worship - because ultimately they reject the Lord as God their Father. Habukkuk hears that they will be taken over by the Babylonians, a nation that is much farther from living the ways of the Lord than even the Israelites. Habukkuk is confused as to how the Lord could allow this to happen, for Israel to be destroyed and separated by a group so unholy as the Babylonians.
The Lord reminds Habukkuk that the faithful of Israel will be protected, and that this invasion will not be the end of Israel:
For the vision is a witness for the appointed time,
a testimony to the end; it will not disappoint.
If it delays, wait for it,
it will surely come, it will not be late.
See, the rash have no integrity;
but the just one who is righteous because of faith shall live.
Habukkuk still does not understand why the Lord will not protect them, but he says to the Lord that he will trust him anyway, and realizes that he cannot fully understand the plans of God.
For though the fig tree does not blossom,
and no fruit appears on the vine....
Yet I will rejoice in the LORD
and exult in my saving God
Connection & Reflection: Frequently the Lord works in ways that we cannot understand, no matter how long we think about it. Even a lot of the readings we have listened to this week seem as if the Lord is a violent and uncaring God - allowing so much destruction and pain to be given to his people. Even in our daily lives we probably go through pain and see others go through pain and wonder how the Lord can allow it if he loves us. But like Habukkuk, watching the world from a tower, we need to wait as the Lord asks us not only to understand, but also to see the goodness that the Lord brings through the suffering.
Prayer: Lord, we know that you endured the most suffering on the Cross, but in the end came to life again and brought us a greater gift than we could ever imagine. Please give us the strength to wait through our pain and to remember the pain of Jesus to help us through it. Give us the confidence that you are not the source of our suffering, but give us hope that you will bring us more wonderful things because of it.
Conclude with your favorite family prayer, or an Our Father, Hail Mary & Glory Be.
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