THE POWER OF PERSISTENT PRAYER

 

Homily for the Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

Fr. Ugochukwu Ugwoke, ISch

Scriptural Texts: Exodus 17:8-13, 2 Timothy 3:14-4:2, Luke 18:1-8

 

In our today’s gospel reading, we read about the parable of the dishonest judge (Luke 18:1-8). Jesus told this parable to show us that we should pray continually and not be discouraged. The example he used is that of a desperate widow who went to an unjust judge looking for justice. At first, the judge ignored her but as she kept going back to him asking for justice, her persistence wore the judge down and he granted her the justice she was entitled to. The message Jesus wants to pass across to us with this parable is that if the persistent plea of a helpless widow can get through to an unjust judge, how much more effective will our persistent plea be with God. It is not as if God is like the unjust judge. Rather, the point Jesus wants us to keep in mind is that if the widow can persevere in going to an unjust judge for her request, how much more must we persevere in going to God in prayer for our own needs.

The widow in the gospel is a typical image of persistent prayer and a model of a faith that never grows weary. Her faith is the kind of faith that remains undimmed in the midst of darkness; the kind of faith that remains steadfast even in the face of repeated setbacks and disappointments. The woman had every reason to give up, but she persisted. Her faith and patience were tested to the breaking point but she remained firm. She did not take the judge’s no for an answer. She kept going back until she got what she was looking for. It is the same quality of faith that we find in the first reading with the example of Moses. Even when he grew weary, he persisted in prayer (lifting up his hand to God) through the support of others until the Israelites gained victory (Exodus 17:9-13).

This is also how we too should relate with God and approach him in prayer. There are times when God seems to delay in granting us the favor we seek. There are times when our prayers seem unanswered. Many of us who have had such experiences have given up on God and fallen out of the faith. We want instant answers from God forgetting that God’s timing is always different from ours. Our desire for an easy way out and instant answers has led us to places where ordinarily we are not supposed to go and into things we are not supposed to have done. We must learn to be patient with God. More often than not, delay may be a test of the strength and resolve of our faith in God. So, when next God seems to delay in granting you your prayers, do not quit but persist in prayer.

Another area we can apply the example of the quality of the woman’s persistence and perseverance is in our relationship with others. Today, many friendships, marriages and relationships have been severed because of lack of patience and perseverance. We easily give up on our friends, partners or spouse especially when things do not go the way we want. We have to learn to stay faithful when the relationship is in difficulty and to work through the difficulty. At the end of the gospel reading, Jesus asks, ‘When the Son of Man comes, will he find any faith on earth?’ (Luke 18:8). It is not just any kind of faith but the kind of persevering faith expressed by the widow in the gospel. This kind of persevering faith comes from a persistent prayer. May our prayer to God be persistent and our faith in God persevering. Amen.