PRAYER AND FAITH.
October 16, 2022
Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time – C.
“Jesus told his disciples a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary.” Lk 18:1
A German proverb says: “Pray as though no work could help, and work as though no prayer could help.” And a British proverb adds: “Prayer knocks till the door opens.”
Faith in God is what makes us pray to Him. And because of that faith, we pray without losing heart or hope no matter the adversities and hardships we go through. He who has no faith does not pray. He feels not its importance. It is because we trust in God that we raise our voices and hands in prayer to him. Besides, our faith is proved genuine and true only in times of adversities. One thing is certain, it is not easy to hold on to one's faith in times of trials. But when we keep firm, our faith is always rewarded.
We are speaking of prayer and faith. We could be tempted to ask: What is prayer? And the beautiful and most simple but complete answer comes from the Little Saint of Lisieux, St. Therese of the Child Jesus. She says: “For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy.” And after her, the Catechism adds: “"Prayer is the raising of one's mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God." But when we pray, do we speak from the height of our pride and will, or "out of the depths" of a humble and contrite heart? He who humbles himself will be exalted; humility is the foundation of prayer, only when we humbly acknowledge that "we do not know how to pray as we ought," are we ready to receive freely the gift of prayer. "Man is a beggar before God."” CCC 2559. We will come back on this point next Sunday.
In today's readings, especially the first reading and the Gospel, we are instructed about consistency of prayer and firmness of faith. The faith of the children of Israel in God and the consistent raising of hand of Moses procured them victory over the Amalekites. We read that, while Joshua and his men were at war against Amalek, Moses stood on the top of the hill with the rod of God in his hand. “As long as Moses kept his arms raised, Israel had the advantage; when he let his arms fall, the advantage went to Amalek.” In the end, Aaron and Hur supported Moses in keeping his hand up.
The up raising of hands is a very significant and common posture of prayer. Even for us Christians, saying the Lord's Prayer, our hands are up. As long as we keep firm in this posture of oration and in our relationship with the Lord, we are assured that, as a good and provident Father he will answer our pleas.
Prayer should be consistent, not sporadic. That is the lesson we receive from the Lord in the Gospel. Luke, in the Gospel says: "Jesus told his disciples a parable about the need to pray continually and never lose heart." To pray continually, that is what it is about. And the parable of the widow and the unlawful judge teaches us of the power of constant and tireless prayer. Though the judge was not willing to answer the widow, her persistence won over him. “Maybe I have neither fear of God nor respect for man, but since she keeps pestering me I must give this widow her just rights, or she will persist in coming and worry me to death.” And the Lord concludes, "Now will not God see justice done to his chosen who cry to him day and night even when he delays to help them? I promise you, he will see justice done to them, and done speedily."
God is not unjust as this judge is. He hears our pleas and the outpouring of our hearts and he will always answer us. We should just be constant in prayer and firm in faith.
And Paul, addressing Timothy tells us what we could do to be firm in faith and constant in prayer, keep what we have learned and received from the Scriptures. We should live fully equipped and ready for any good work. Faith and prayer arm the Christian for the service of charity and any kinds of good work. May the good Lord, in his kindness increase in us faith, hope, and love for our good and the good of all his people.
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