REFLECTIONS TODAY
While Jesus says in other parts of the Gospels that when we pray we should not use lengthy words, in today’s Gospel He teaches us to be persistent in our prayers. The latter focuses on our attitude when we pray, not just on the words we use. Honestly, we wonder if repeated or persistent prayers are necessary. After all, we ask, does God need to hear our repeated pleas before He can answer us? And yet the parable of the Persistent Widow underlines this. But why is she so persistent? We can only guess that she is really helpless and in need of someone to defend her cause. Probably the judge or the law is her only means for achieving justice. And so she is determined to win her case through persistence. But behind this persistence also lies her attitude of humility and of not minding whether she will receive humiliation in the process. Before God, we cannot demand anything; we can only wait and be patient, but persistent, nonetheless. Many things in life are achieved by persistence and perseverance. So also in prayer, Jesus seems to be saying. We should pray without ceasing, whether God hears our prayers or not. For if God seems not to answer our prayers, he must be preparing something better or more appropriate for us.
First Reading • 3 Jn 5-8
Beloved, you are faithful in all you do for the brothers and sisters, especially for strangers; they have testified to your love before the Church. Please help them in a way worthy of God to continue their journey. For they have set out for the sake of the Name and are accepting nothing from the pagans. Therefore, we ought to support such persons, so that we may be co-workers in the truth.
Responsorial Psalm • Ps 112
“Blessed the man who fears the Lord.” or “Alleluia.”
Gospel • Luke 18:1-8
Jesus told his disciples a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary. He said, “There was a judge in a certain town who neither feared God nor respected any human being. And a widow in that town used to come to him and say, ‘Render a just decision for me against my adversary.’ For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought, ‘While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being, because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me.’ ” The Lord said, “Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says. Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them? I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
Source: “366 Days with the Lord 2024,” St. Paul’s, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.