29th Sunday of Ordinary Time, C October 19, 2025
Fr. Alexander Albert St. Mary Magdalen, Abbeville
It’s one of the most frightening questions in all of scripture. “When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” For the third week in a row, our Gospel has called attention to the virtue of faith. This time we see a shift in focus: not just faith, but faith in preparation for the end of the world. Jesus doesn’t just want us to have faith. He wants us to keep faith and, more importantly, to spread faith. The fact that he asks such an ominous question – “will he find faith on earth” – is a warning that the answer is not a guaranteed “yes.” In other words, what you do will be part of the answer to that question. Your effort matters.
The Church has designated today as “World Mission Sunday.” It reminds all Catholics that we are not just disciples, not just recipients of grace, not just members of the Catholic Church… we are agents of the Gospel, workers in the vineyard, missionaries of Jesus Christ. We’ll hear at the end of Mass from someone involved in foreign mission work, but don’t be so quick to dismiss your role.
The first reading depicts a battle between Amalek – a hostile pagan people – and Israel, the chosen people of God. This is not just an historical event for our spiritual ancestors, it is symbolic of the cosmic truth that we are at war. God uses both words and historical events to teach us the truth about himself, ourselves, and salvation. So this real historical battle and miracle is also symbolic of the spiritual battle we’re engaged in for the salvation of souls. The Kingdom of God is on the offensive. Instead of claiming territory, we’re claiming souls. Instead of striking our enemies down, we’re converting them to the gift of faith. …Or, at least, we should be.
As I’ve said before, faith is a gift so we cannot force someone to believe. But that doesn’t mean we don’t try to persuade, to convince, to invite, and to bear witness to them about the truth of faith. There’s a famous fake quote falsely attributed to St. Francis of Assisi that goes like this: “preach the gospel always; when necessary, use words.” Except he never said it. Anyone who has studied St. Francis’ life knows that he spent a lot of it using words to preach the gospel. I get why people like the quote. Our lives should reflect the gospel; actions speak louder than words. But, in my experience, that’s not how people use it. So many people use it to make themselves more comfortable with how they almost never talk about Jesus to anyone.
Yes, your actions should bear witness to the gospel. But you should also use words. Scripture challenges us with this question, “how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach?” It tells us that “faith comes from what is heard” (Rom 10:14-17). Paul in our second reading likewise says, “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus… proclaim the word.” So, proclaim it.
Now, not everyone preaches in the same way. Not everyone goes to foreign countries or stands on street corners and pulpits. Even in the battle against Amalek, we see people in different roles. Joshua leads “certain men.” Moses stands atop the mountain. Aaron and Hur support Moses’ arms. In any army, there are a variety of roles but all contribute to the fight. So, make your contribution! How? Here’s three things to do:
First, practice your own faith! We’ve reflected on this for weeks. Prayer, Reflection, Study, Obedience, and Gratitude are all key ways to practice your faith. You cannot give what you do not have. Your first responsibility is to make sure you have faith so that when Jesus comes back, he’ll at least find faith in you.
Secondly, pray for missionaries and support them. The battle of Amalek is won or lost based on whether or not Moses keeps praying. Persevere in prayer. The Gospel shows a woman pestering a judge until he gives in. Jesus tells us to do that to our Father in heaven. Pester God with your prayers. Pray for your loved ones to convert. Pray for your enemies to convert. Pray for priests, religious, and lay people whose full time job is to proclaim the Gospel both at home and in foreign countries. Y’all should be annoying God with how much you pray for your loved ones… with how much you pray for me and for missionaries. And while you’re at it, support them in any way you can. Like Aaron giving Moses a chair and holding up his arms, acts of concrete physical and financial support are part of how we help the Church win the battle for souls.
Third and finally, speak of the gospel. Don’t be obnoxious or imposing, but do be willing to take a risk. Start with your fellow believers. Share faith and encourage each other. Then, practice your elevator pitch. If someone were to walk up to you and say “okay, you’ve got ten minutes to convince me of the Catholic Faith,” what would you say? I’m serious; plan out your response. We call it the “kerygma,” the quick essentials of the Gospel. Creation, Fall, Redemption, Jesus, Church. Add in a personal touch of where God worked in your life. You shouldn’t be giving out memorized speeches, but taking the time to outline and practice a basic “elevator pitch” version of the gospel will help you be ready to seize the moment when someone asks you, or when you see someone curious, or when you think someone might be open, or the Holy Spirit nudges you to speak.
“When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” That depends on you and me. Nurture your faith, support missionaries, and share your faith others so that when he comes for us, we at least can say, “Yes, Lord, you’ll find it here.”