“SPRINGS OF LIVING WATER”
Daily Spiritual Reflections
13th November 2021
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SATURDAY, THIRTY SECOND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Wis 18: 14-16; 19: 6-9; Ps 105:2-3,36-37,42-43; Lk 18: 1-8
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TO PRAY WITHOUT CEASING
The readings of the day give a wonderful insight into a life of prayer: its process and its effect. In the Gospel passage today, Jesus asks us to ‘pray continually.’ When a person begins this journey and advances in it, he will come across certain experiences as stated in the first reading of the day that is, silence, night and the word.
We have to admit we do not find praying easy. In our Christian formation, most of us have learned a series of prayers by heart. We repeat them frequently, but they do not seem to put us in authentic communication with God. We know many prayers, but we find it hard to pray. We think that God seldom listens to our needs and so we do not feel obliged to bring them to him. If our prayer is ineffective, and it seems a useless waste of time, then we need to ask ourselves if there is any well founded reason to hope that we will be heard. This objection is reasonable and it was common among the disciples of Jesus. However, Jesus encouraged his disciples to pray more and to pray always. The Gospel parable has a clear message: Jesus is not comparing God to an unjust judge, but saying that, if perseverance obtains justice from an unjust judge, how much more from a good and loving father? Perseverance in prayer teaches us that God does not need to be informed of our needs.
In Jesus’ time, a widow had no support unless she had adult sons to help her. Here the widow goes directly to the judge. The judge, an unpleasant character, ignores her for a long time but she persists in her pursuit for justice and he finally gives in. The parable is an invitation to us to persist in prayer especially in times of difficulties. We approach a loving Father, ready to listen to us. We are invited to come with a calm assurance, that Jesus tells us not to give up or lose heart. Our persistence in prayer does not change God’s mind. Instead, it prepares our own hearts to accept His will for us!
Response: Remember the wonders the Lord has done.
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