Habakkuk: a prophet's face, a prophet's plea

The Prophet Habakkuk by Donatello

Twenty-two centuries before Donatello (1383-1466) sculpted the image above, the prophet Habakkuk cried out this lament to his God: 

How long, O LORD? I cry for help
but you do not listen!
I cry out to you, "Violence!"
but you do not intervene.
Why do you let me see ruin;
why must I look at misery?
Destruction and violence are before me;
there is strife, and clamorous discord.

And Habakkuk shares how the LORD answered his prayer:

Then the LORD answered me and said:
Write down the vision clearly upon the tablets,
so that one can read it readily.
For the vision still has its time,
presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint;
if it delays, wait for it,
it will surely come, it will not be late.
The rash one has no integrity;
but the just one, because of his faith, shall live.

The prophet's prayer and the LORD's response are this Sunday's first scripture reading.

Some among us, even many, and whole peoples around the globe might echo Habakkuk's plea.

Faith is at the heart of this weekend's scriptures which you can find here along with commentary on them.



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