We are called to perseverance and persistence in our prayer life, in our faith, in our life of disciples. We’re called each day to perseverance and persistence. So what is the context of the Gospel story we hear today, of this brave widow who never gives up on her fight for justice against an unjust judge. In Jesus’ day, judges traveled from town to town, holding court in tents. The judges set their own agenda, so that the only way someone could have his case heard at court was to bribe one of the assistants to have it brought to the attention of a judge. This widow had much to overcome - being poor, being a woman without a husband - she did not have very high social standing in Ancient Israel. It would have been so easy for her to become disheartened and to give up, but she persevered and persisted until she achieved justice. On our journey, we are faced with the same dilemma: How do we keep praying and keep the faith and not lose heart?
Jesus asks us in the parable today: “Will not God secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night?” When most Christians hear these words, they might immediately think of their own needs and wants, of the desire to have their prayers answered. But sometimes our prayer life can be self-centered, not going beyond our own needs, wants, desires and outlook on life. As we reflect upon today’s Gospel, the first step is to move the focus out from our selfishness and self-centeredness to the prayers and needs of others. When hearing this Gospel, instead of asking ourselves, “Why doesn’t God answer my prayers?”, we should ask: “Whose lives cry out for God’s justice? Whose lives cry out for our prayers? Whose lives does God want me to reach out to touch, to help God answer their prayers?” So, we might ask ourselves: Are we praying for families in a society where the family seems to be devalued? Are we praying for our youth and young adults who have so many temptations in our society, who are lured away from the faith by the values of the world? Do we pray for those on the periphery and the margins of society, for those who are searching for something in life, for those who feel like they don’t belong? The prophets of Ancient Israel spoke about compassion for the outcasts in their society - the anawim - the widow, the orphan, and the foreigner. And Jesus himself reached out in his ministry to the poor and the oppressed, to the sinner and the forgotten.
At the end of today’s Gospel, Jesus asks: “When the Son of Man comes (again), will he find faith on earth?” If we look at our own prayer life, if we look at our own faith journey, how would we answer that question? In our prayer life and in our actions, we must be conveyers of God’s love and mercy to those who cry out for justice like the widow in the parable. We must be willing to collaborate with Christ in the work of faith, to do the work of Christ’s ministry here on earth. Collaborating in that way is a long, constant, life-long task.
Perseverance and persistence in our prayer life is essential. But are the words in our prayer life corresponding to our actions and the way we live? Last week, I spoke about Respect Life Month that we celebrate during the month of October. Our prayers are important for Respect Life Month. There are certain aspects of our respect for life in our Catholic faith that we hear a lot about - an end to abortion and capital punishment, an end to violence and terrorism, the care for the sick and the dying, care for our earth and our environment. There are other respect life issues that perhaps don’t get as much attention - the importance of hospice care at the end of life, mental health issues, ways to overcome addictions, and the tragedy of suicide in our modern society. In addition to our prayers, ongoing education, advocacy, and policy within are Catholic community are important part of our respect for human life. God will indeed help us be persistent and to persevere in our prayer life and also on our journey of faith.
No comments:
Post a Comment