21 Oct
Sun
29th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)
Ex. 17:8-13
Ps. 120:1-23-45-67-8
2 Tim. 3:14-4:2
Lk. 18:1-8
(Ps Wk I)
How To Pray With Shalom
Home Page of Shalom
Index of This Month
 

Jesus was a person of prayer. In this He set an example for His followers to emulate. When they asked Him to teach them to pray as John taught his disciples, Jesus responded with the Lord's Prayer (cf. Lk. 11:1-4). This prayer is further set in the context of the need to pray persistently (cf. 11:5-13). In our gospel, Luke reminds his disciples, by way of a parable not without humorous overtones, of the need to pray often. The Jewish judical system was geared towards a defence of the defenceless, at least in theory. Widows symbolically represented all those outside the pale of justice since they had no man to claim their rights. Judges, rulers and kings were particularly charged with the widow's and the orphan's defence. Luke's Jesus compares God to an unjust judge who would have preferred to remain unmoved by the widow's pleas, but only relents because she irritates him.

Jesus Himself prays continuously and so He teaches the disciples to likewise pray continuously lest they lose heart as the way becomes long and ardous.

Persistence in prayer is a way of developing integrity in our lives. A well-known spiritual principle seems to aptly apply here: work as if everything depends on you and pray as if everything depends on God.



Lord, help me to be faithful to You always, so that Your mission in my life can be accomplished.

DAILY OFFERING
Eternal Father, I offer You everything I do this day; my thoughts, words, joys and sufferings. Grant that, vivified by the Holy Spirit and united to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, my life this day may be of service to You and to others. I also pray that all those preparing for marriage discover in Sacrament the source of Christ's grace for living a fithful and fruitful love. Amen.

PRAYING WITH THE CHURCH
INTENTION
That the Christians who are in minority situations may have the strength and courage to live faith and persevere in bearing witness to it.
Elaboration

- END -


© Copyright Shalom 2007. All rights reserved.