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• The prophet Habakkuk, a contemporary of Jeremiah, preached during a time of great turmoil.
• Habakkuk questions why God tolerates violence against the innocent.
• God told the prophet that the faithful person must be patient and wait for God’s promises.

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• The passage from the Second Letter of Paul to Timothy was an exhortation to Christian ministers to be faithful.
• When one accepts the call to ministry, one is gifted by the Spirit of God.
• The function of the Holy Spirit is to give strength and perseverance in a difficult job, which is a theme that points to the hardships that must be endured in the ministries of Paul and Timothy and their successors.

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• Today’s Gospel passage is from a collection of Jesus’ sayings on discipleship.
• The disciples ask Jesus for an increase of faith. With the exaggerated image of a mustard seed, Jesus casts doubt on their possession of any faith.
• In the second saying about workers, Jesus warns his followers against thinking that they deserve or can earn a special reward because of their service.