Homilies
Faith refined.
Holy Spirit take my words and speak to each of us according to our need.
The Hebrews scripture today, tells us to run with perseverance the race that is set before us. Now to have the need of perseverance suggests that it isn’t going to be an easy race. If you’ve ever watched a marathon, you know it’s not about who bolts off the line fastest. In fact, a sprinter’s strategy in a marathon will almost certainly end in exhaustion long before the finish line. The Christian life is much the same. Our faith is not a 100-metre dash; it’s a lifelong race. The writer to the Hebrews adds that we should fix our eyes upon Jesus, “the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.”
There is other good news too. We are not running this race alone. We are “surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses”—the saints and faithful who have gone before us. Their lives now being a testimony that God is faithful from the first step to the last.
This conjures an image for me of an ancient stadium, stands filled with those who have already run their race—Abraham, Moses, Ruth, Mary, Peter, and countless other saints, both named and unnamed. They are not spectators in the modern sense, but examples whose lives cheer us on.
When we feel like slowing down, we can remember that our footsteps echo theirs. Their faith was not a flawless sprint; it was a steady, sometimes faltering, journey. They endured hardship, persecution, loss, and doubt, yet they reached the finish because, although as the writer of Hebrews tells us, ‘the world was not worthy of them’- they kept looking forward towards God’s promises.
So how can we run this race with eyes fixed on Jesus when Hebrews also tells us that although these people were all commended for their faith, none of them received what God had promised. It may seem like there’s not much point then if that is the case but the second half of that verse holds the key; ‘Since God had planned something better so that they would not, without us, be made perfect.’
You see, the ‘great cloud of witnesses’ didn’t live to see the whole picture. Abraham was promised multitudinous descendants but within his lifetime he only saw one child of his. Moses led the Israelites to the threshold of the Promised Land but never entered it himself. And the prophets spoke of the coming of a Messiah but died before he came. That was faith…eyes fixed on the promises even when the reality seemed so different.
God’s plan of something better was the Messiah, to send Christ to earth; to conquer death and sin and gift us the Holy Spirit. They lived their lives looking forward to that day and we, being beyond that can both look back to it and forward to Christ’s return.
God’s promises though are corporate, not individual. His salvation plan gathers His people from all times into one celebration at the finish line when His kingdom comes in its fullness. Today, we are part of that same relay—taking the baton from those before us and running faithfully for those who will come after us.
So why continue to fix our eyes on Jesus if he has already overcome Death and Sin? Because He is both the pioneer,the one who blazes the trail and the perfecter,the one who brings our faith to completion. He has already run the course from Bethlehem to Calvary to the empty tomb.
When we grow weary, we remember that He endured the cross for the joy set before Him. That joy is you and me—redeemed, restored, reconciled with God. He is not simply cheering from the finish line; He is running alongside us through His Spirit, giving us the strength for each step.
In Luke 12, Jesus says, “I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!” That can sound frightening especially with what we see all around us and on the news across the world. But we need to understand that the fire is not for burning us up, but for burning away what does not belong. It is not about destruction but rather, refinement.
Refining fire removes impurities from gold—it doesn’t destroy the gold. In the same way, Christ’s fire purifies our hearts from selfishness, greed, bitterness, and fear, so that His image might shine more clearly in us.
In our current world climate—with political division, economic uncertainty, wars, and rising anxiety—Christ’s refining fire burns away political power and deceit, replacing it with truth and justice. In communities divided by fear or prejudice, it melts hostility and bridges reconciliation. In hearts overwhelmed by despair or apathy, it rekindles hope. It’s the fire that kindles courage, forges compassion, and ignites love.
So how do we run this marathon faithfully in our current world and in the present moment?
We need to set aside the things that weigh us down. The writer of Hebrews urges us to lay aside every burden and sin that clings so closely. That may mean letting go of constant news-scrolling that fuels anger or despair. It might mean repenting of grudges, or simply slowing down enough to hear God’s voice over the noise.
We need to keep a steady pace. Like the marathon runner who conserves energy for the long haul. In faith, that means prayer, Scripture reading, worship, and fellowship. These are not “quick fixes” but rather they build the habits and steady rhythm that sustain us.
We must draw strength from the witnesses. Perhaps read biographies of the saints, or remember those in your own life whose faith has inspired you. Their stories are all reminders that endurance is possible.
We must keep running toward the goal, not away from the pain. Sometimes Christ’s refining work will sometimes feel uncomfortable, even painful but try not to resist it—trust in the process, that you are being made stronger and freer.
So although our race is long and arduous, our pace is not set by fear or fatigue—it is set by hope. We run in the company of saints, with Jesus beside us, His Spirit within us, and the Father’s joy before us. The fire He brings will not consume us, but will burn away all that hinders love, until we can only shine with His glory.
So let us continue to take the next step, and then the next, eyes fixed on the finish line where Christ Himself will welcome us—not as sprinters who ran out of breath, but as faithful runners who endured to the end. Amen.
Let us pray.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Pioneer and Perfecter of our faith,
You have set before us the race of life,
and called us to run with endurance.
Surround us with the strength of Your Spirit,
refine us with the fire of Your love,
and keep our eyes fixed on You
through every trial and joy.
May we, like the cloud of witnesses before us,
be faithful to the end,
so that at the finish of our race,
we may rejoice in Your presence
and share in the victory You have won.
To You be glory, with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.