The Righteous shall live by faith

Mum did not have a good appetite this morning. Last time when we had breakfast in the McDonald's in Tuen Mun, she ate a Fillet-O-Fish and two more hash-browns. However, this morning, she could only eat half a Fillet-O-Fish and brought home the other half. The whole morning and after lunch, she busied herself in the kitchen, preparing the dishes for dinner.
Before noon, a niece made a call to ask after the senior uncle and aunt. Among this generation of cousins and nieces, this half-sister of mine is Mum's favourite. It is because she is grateful and knows the manners. Then Mum started complaining one after another how ungrateful the other cousins and nieces have been. Mum has showered them with gorgeous presents and gifts at their weddings and other occasions. Yet, these ungrateful lots! Actually, Mum finds most of them, even her siblings and in-laws, fall short of her expectations. They are ungrateful, unappreciative of what she has done for them. Mum is really bitter. It is still early. I hope Mum will not overdrink again tonight.

Today, we read the book of Habakkuk, a minor prophet. Again, he left us with only three chapters. He was a contemporary of Jeremiah. People remember him most for a verse which St. Paul quoted several times.
ἐὰν ὑποστείληται, οὐκ εὐδοκεῖ ἡ ψυχή μου ἐν αὐτῷ, ὁ δὲ δίκαιος ἐκ πίστεώς μου ζήσεται.
Behold, he whose soul is not upright in him shall fail, but the righteous shall live by his faith (Habakkuk 2:4).
ὅτι δὲ ἐν νόμῳ οὐδεὶς δικαιοῦται παρὰ τῷ θεῷ δῆλον, ὅτι ὁ δίκαιος ἐκ πίστεως ζήσεται·
Now it is evident that no man is justified before God by the law; for "He who through faith is righteous shall live" (Galatians 3:11)
δικαιοσύνη γὰρ θεοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ ἀποκαλύπτεται ἐκ πίστεως εἰς πίστιν, καθὼς γέγραπται·ὁ δὲ δίκαιος ἐκ πίστεως ζήσεται.
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, "He who through faith is righteous shall live." (Romans 1:17)
ἔτι γὰρ μικρὸν ὅσον ὅσον,ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἥξει καὶ οὐ χρονίσει·
ὁ δὲ δίκαιός μου ἐκ πίστεως ζήσεται,καὶ ἐὰν ὑποστείληται, οὐκ εὐδοκεῖ ἡ ψυχή μου ἐν αὐτῷ.
For yet a little while, and the coming one shall come and shall not tarry;
but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him (Hebrews 10:37-38).
Of course, Habakkuk deserves more attention. He was a mystic and his hymn in chapter 3 is recited on Friday mornings in the second cycle of the daily Office.
It was 4:50. Mum's drinking urge returned. This time, she did not hide herself to drink. She poured a glass of brandy and we talked. During dinner, she drank only a quarter of a glass. She was very restrained tonight. She needs someone to talk to and there is a lot of things she wants to tell me. Though my younger brother lives with her, I am still her favourite son, the apple in her eyes.

My dear Advocate, make me a good listener. Mum deserves somebody to listen to. Grant her peace. Amen.