Introduction: May
you continue to deepen your relationship with the Lord Jesus through reading of
scripture and prayer.
Ask any professional athlete and they will tell you that it
takes discipline and training to stay at the top of their game. They cannot
limit their practice time to the actual time they are on the field or court.
They must have their mind set on being the best they can be.
For us who are disciples of the Lord Jesus, we must have
discipline and training. We must practice those activities that will help us
prepare to be the best we can be, not just when we go to church on Sunday, but
every day, and at every minute of every day. Two very important disciplines for
us are: 1) reading and pondering on the Word of GOD and 2) spending time
praying. Both of these activities help us stay in an ever deepening
relationship with the Lord Jesus and His Abba-Father, in union with the Holy Spirit.
Two aspects of prayer are presented in today’s scripture
passages. The First Reading and the Gospel describe the importance of
persistence in prayer. The selection chosen from the continued reading of St.
Paul’s Second Letter to Timothy stresses the pre-eminent value of the Word of
GOD in our daily prayer life.
First Reading: Exodus 17:8-13: ‘Whenever Moses held up
his hand, Israel prevailed.’
Commentary: This
battle scene seems to us nowadays a bit of an odd passage to choose to
reinforce the gospel lesson of perseverance in prayer. Can we still pray for
the slaughter of our enemies? An important value of these bloodthirsty passages
of the Old Testament is to remind us that revelation is gradual: we cannot take
in everything at once. Look how long it took us to realise that the logical
consequence of Paul’s little letter to Philemon is the total abolition of
slavery! Paul didn’t realise it, and nor did most Christians for 1,200 years
(there was already legislation against enslaving Christians in the 13th
century). Future generations may think our morality primitive too, as we or our
successors come to understand Christianity ever more fully. However, prayer can
be exciting and uplifting, but it can also be boring and exhausting, with just
that sinking feeling of exhaustion, ‘I can’t hold my hands up any longer’. That
is when we need really get on and hang on in there, expressing that God is not
just one Mr Fixit among many possibles, but is our only hope and dependence.
Cupboard-love alone will not do, nor a last-minute turn to someone about whose
existence we had practically forgotten.
Responsorial Psalm 121:1-2. 3-4. 5-6. 7-8: Our help is in
the name of the LORD,who made heaven and earth.
The Responsorial echoes the thoughts that it is GOD Who is
the true source of help and victory in the struggles of life. GOD continues to
protect and care for all those who call on the help of the LORD.
Second Reading: 2 Timothy 3:14-4:2: ‘That the man of God
may be complete, equipped for every good work.’
Commentary: The
inspired writer seems to be devoting much of his space to the use of scripture
in preaching and controversy, but most of all the scriptures ‘instruct you for
salvation’. We have to receive the message, and take it to our own hearts
before we can pass it on to others. This is by seeing the variety of ways in
which God cares for us, his ever-present forgiveness in all our idiotic
mistrust and shying away, our stubborn preference for our own search for
happiness. Only by immersing ourselves regularly in the scriptures and growing
to love these varied glimpses of God can we come to draw out their richness and
sweetness. And there are plenty of difficulties to be overcome: the strangeness
of language and ancient ways of thought, the barbaric primitiveness of the
Chosen People of God, the boring instructions on sacrifice and purity. Don’t
rush it or gobble it up. Go your own pace, and remember that it began as God’s
Word to Abraham, Moses, David or whoever, or Jesus helping his contemporaries
to understand about the Kingdom, or Paul responding to the queries of his
half-instructed converts. But now it is God’s Word to you.
Gospel: Luke 18:1-8: ‘God will give justice to his elect,
who cry to him.’
Commentary: We
often think of prayer as mere asking, and this parable encourages us to pester
God as the wronged widow pestered the Unjust Judge. Luke’s parables are always
lively, and the characters like to talk and explain themselves! The judge’s
fear of the widow can be translated that she will come and ‘outface me’, but it
could also be translated ‘hit me in the face’. But such persistence is only one
aspect of Luke’s teaching on prayer. He also shows us what our attitude in
prayer should be, by the parable immediately following in the gospel, the
Pharisee and the Tax-Collector: the tax-collector wins approval because he just
stands there, admitting his sins. Most instructive, however, is Luke’s teaching
on Jesus at prayer: he reminds us that Jesus is always quietly at prayer to his
Father. He needs to slip away to spend the night in prayer. Especially he prays
at the most important moments of his life, at his Baptism, when he chooses his
team, before he teaches them to pray, at the approach of his Passion, finally forgiving
and comforting others at his death. Paul tells us we should pray continually.
The prayer of asking must be built on a relationship of love and dependence,
just as the request of child to parents is built on that loving relationship.
It does not matter if the child is naughty, as long as the relationship is one
of love; so we do not need to be perfect to make our
requests to our Father.
Reflection: What can a shameless and unjust judge pitted
against a crusty and pestering woman teach us about justice and vindication (to
restore what is right and just) in the kingdom of God? Jesus tells a story that
is all too true - a defenseless widow is taken advantaged of and refused her
rights. Through sheer persistence she wears down an unscrupulous judge until he
gives her justice. Persistence pays off, and that's especially true for those
who trust in God. Jesus illustrates how God as our Judge and Vindicator is much
quicker to come to our defense and to bring us his justice, blessing, and help
when we need it. But we can easily lose heart and forget to ask our heavenly
Father for his grace and help.
Faith-filled persistence
reaps the fruit of justice and grace: Jesus told the parable of the
persistent widow and the unjust judge (Luke 18:1-8) to give his disciples fresh
hope and confidence in God's unfailing care and favor towards us (grace). In
this present life we can expect trials and adversity, but we are not without
hope in God. The Day of the Last Judgment will reveal that God's justice
triumphs over all the injustices perpetrated by a fallen world of sinful people
and that God's love is stronger than death (Song of Songs 8:6). Those who put
their faith in God and entrust their lives to him can look forward with hope
and confident assurance. They will receive their reward - if not fully in this
present life then surely and completely in the age to come in God's kingdom of
righteousness, peace, and joy (Romans 14:17).
Jesus ends his parable with a probing question for us. Will
you and I have faith - the kind of faith that doesn't give up or lose hope in
God - but perseveres to the end of our lives - and to the end of this present
age when the Lord Jesus will return in glory as Ruler and Judge of All? Faith
is an entirely free gift that God makes to us. We could not believe, trust, and
persevere with hope if God did not first draw us to himself and reveal to us
his merciful love and care. If we want to grow and persevere in faith until the
end of our days, then we must nourish our faith with the word of God and ask
the Lord to increase it (Luke 17:5). When trials and setbacks disappoint you,
where do you place your hope and confidence? Do you pray with expectant faith
and confident hope in God's merciful care and provision for you?
Lord Jesus, increase my faith and make it strong that I may
never doubt your word and promise to be with me always. In every situation I
face - whether trials, setbacks, or loss - may I always find strength in your
unfailing love and find joy and contentment in having you alone as the treasure
of my heart.
Daily Quote from the Early
Church Fathers: Persistent prayer
transforms iniquity and wickedness into mercy, by Ephrem the Syrian (306-373
AD)
"How was that unjust judge immoral and wicked? How was
the upright judge gracious and just? The first in his iniquity was not willing
to vindicate the widow, and in his wickedness, he was not willing to put her
mind at rest. The justice of God knows how to vindicate, and his grace discerns
how to give life. The iniquity of this wicked judge was contrary to the justice
of God, and the wickedness of this rebel was in opposition to the grace of the
gentle One. His wickedness therefore was stubbornness, for it dared to go
against the fear of God. His boldness was stubborn, for it refused the lowly
person."
"These two were stubborn, but persistent prayer was
even more stubborn. The persistence of the widow humiliated both the iniquity
that was rebelling against God and the boldness that was behaving arrogantly
towards human beings. She subjected them to her will, so that they might
provide her with a vindication over her adversary. Persistence transformed
these two bitter branches, and they bore sweet fruit that was against their
nature. The iniquity of the judge brought about a righteous judgment and a just
retribution for the falsely accused woman. His wickedness gave peace to the
afflicted one, although iniquity does not know how to judge, and wickedness
does not know how to give refreshment. Persistence forced these two evil and
bitter branches to give good fruit against their nature. If we persist in
prayer, we should be even more able to prevail on the grace and justice of God
to give us fruit that agrees with their nature. Let justice vindicate us, and
let grace refresh us. Accordingly, the fruit of justice is the just reward of
the oppressed, while the giving of refreshment to the afflicted is the fruit of
grace." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON TATIAN'S DIATESSARON 16.16.6)
Give me a hand: Jesus
“told them a parable on the necessity of praying always and not losing heart.”
—Luke 18:1
“As long as Moses kept his hands raised up, Israel had the
better of the fight, but when he let his hands rest, Amalek had the better of
the fight. Moses’ hands, however, grew tired; so they put a rock in place for
him to sit on. Meanwhile Aaron and Hur supported his hands…and Joshua” won the
battle (Ex 17:11-13).
Jesus, nailed upon the cross, battled with the kingdom of
darkness for our souls. His hands grew weary as He stretched them out in prayer
for us. Though He had no one to hold up His weary arms, the nails held up His
hands so He could keep them stretched out in prayer and win the battle.
Perhaps you are alone in your faith and have no Aaron and
Hur to support your hands and spirit as you pray. Your cross is heavy, your
hands are growing tired, and it’s hard to keep them upraised in confident
prayer. So if you “have been crucified with Christ” (Gal 2:19), it could be
that the nails holding you to your cross are your “Aaron” and “Hur,” keeping
your hands upheld and stretched out in persistent prayer.
Perhaps if circumstances were more favorable in your life,
you might be tempted to relax and stop praying. But your cross, the nails, and
the suffering keep your hands outstretched in prayer and lead you to victory in
your spiritual battle. “So strengthen your drooping hands” (Heb 12:12). Pray
persistently, as Jesus directs (see Lk 18:1). “Wear Him out” with your prayers
(see Is 62:6-7).
Prayer: Lord, when I grow tired for You, may I never grow
tired of You. “My help is from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.” —Ps 121:2.
“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His mercy endures forever” (Ps
136:1).
The personal action for
today: How does my prayer life
and my study of the Word of GOD deepen my relationship with GOD? Do I pray
constantly or is prayer just an occasional occurrence in my daily living? How
does the reading of GOD’s Word enhance my prayer life – my relationship with the
Lord Jesus? How can the activities of other believers enrich my prayer life and
my understanding of GOD’s Word? What steps can I take to deepen both my prayer
life and my devouring of the Word of GOD? How can I help others to delve into
the Word of GOD and be in a prayerful attitude?
*Saints Isaac Jogues, Jean de
Brébeuf, and Companions: Isaac
Jogues and his companions were the first martyrs of the North American
continent officially recognized by the Church. As a young Jesuit, Isaac Jogues,
a man of learning and culture, taught literature in France. He gave up that
career to work among the Huron Indians in the New World, and in 1636, he and
his companions, under the leadership of Jean de Brébeuf, arrived in Quebec.
The Hurons were constantly warred upon by the Iroquois, and
in a few years Father Jogues was captured by the Iroquois and imprisoned for 13
months. His letters and journals tell how he and his companions were led from
village to village, how they were beaten, tortured, and forced to watch as
their Huron converts were mangled and killed.
An unexpected chance for escape came to Isaac Jogues through
the Dutch, and he returned to France, bearing the marks of his sufferings.
Several fingers had been cut, chewed, or burnt off. Pope Urban VIII gave him
permission to offer Mass with his mutilated hands: “It would be shameful that a
martyr of Christ not be allowed to drink the Blood of Christ.”
Welcomed home as a hero, Father Jogues might have sat back,
thanked God for his safe return, and died peacefully in his homeland. But his
zeal led him back once more to the fulfillment of his dreams. In a few months
he sailed for his missions among the Hurons.
In 1646, he and Jean de Lalande, who had offered his
services to the missioners, set out for Iroquois country in the belief that a
recently signed peace treaty would be observed. They were captured by a Mohawk
war party, and on October 18, Father Jogues was tomahawked and beheaded. Jean
de Lalande was killed the next day at Ossernenon, a village near Albany, New
York.
The first of the Jesuit missionaries to be martyred was René
Goupil who with Lalande, had offered his services as an oblate. He was tortured
along with Isaac Jogues in 1642, and was tomahawked for having made the sign of
the cross on the brow of some children.
Father Anthony Daniel, working among Hurons who were
gradually becoming Christian, was killed by Iroquois on July 4, 1648. His body
was thrown into his chapel, which was set on fire.
Jean de Brébeuf was a French Jesuit who came to Canada at
the age of 32 and labored there for 24 years. He went back to France when the
English captured Quebec in 1629 and expelled the Jesuits, but returned to his
missions four years later. Although medicine men blamed the Jesuits for a
smallpox epidemic among the Hurons, Jean remained with them.
He composed catechisms and a dictionary in Huron, and saw
7,000 converted before his death in 1649. Having been captured by the Iroquois
at Sainte Marie, near Georgian Bay, Canada, Father Brébeuf died after four
hours of extreme torture.
Gabriel Lalemant had taken a fourth vow—to sacrifice his
life for the Native Americans. He was horribly tortured to death along with
Father Brébeuf. Father Charles Garnier was shot to death in 1649 as he baptized
children and catechumens during an Iroquois attack.
Father Noel Chabanel also was killed in 1649, before he
could answer his recall to France. He had found it exceedingly hard to adapt to
mission life. He could not learn the language, and the food and life of the
Indians revolted him, plus he suffered spiritual dryness during his whole stay
in Canada. Yet he made a vow to remain in his mission until death. These eight
Jesuit martyrs of North America were canonized in 1930.
Faith and heroism planted belief in Christ’s cross deep in
our land. The Church in North America sprang from the blood of martyrs, as has
been true in so many places. The ministry and sacrifices of these saints
challenges each of us, causing us to ask just how deep is our faith and how
strong our desire to serve even in the face of death.
