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The theme of the readings for Oct. 16 is persistent prayer.
In the first reading Moses must keep his arms raised in prayer in order for the Israelites to gain victory in battle. As his arms grow tired, he is helped by others and is able to persevere in prayer so that Israel defeats their enemy.
In the second reading, St. Paul writes to Timothy to be persistent, whether it is convenient or inconvenient.
And in the Gospel, Jesus tells a parable about the necessity to pray always without becoming weary.
Why this stress and focus on persistent prayer? Because God knows how easily we become weary from praying.
We pray for many things big and small, personal and global, and we often pray for the same thing every day without seeing much change. Because of this, we are tempted to stop praying. We may throw up our hands or, more accurately, throw down our hands thinking, “What’s the use? God isn’t listening!” But this is a temptation from the Enemy of our souls.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church speaks of the battle of prayer. “The great figures of prayer of the Old Covenant before Christ, as well as the Mother of God, the saints, and he himself, all teach us this: prayer is a battle. Against whom? Against ourselves and against the wiles of the tempter who does all he can to turn man away from prayer, away from union with God.” (CCC 2725).
Nowhere is this clearer than in those who have persisted in prayer for an end to abortion. I admire those heroic souls who persisted in prayer to overturn the Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade. It may have seemed like it would never happen, and many probably gave up years ago. But, after almost 50 years of persistence this prayer was answered.
However, these prayers have been answered from the first moment they were uttered. We need only think of the countless conversions that have happened over the years. Other answers to prayers have been the many pro-life organizations that have arisen to help women make a true choice for life. God has been and continues to answer our prayers. We just need to be persistent, never growing weary, trusting that our prayers are being answered.
Father Pryzbilla is pastor of St. Charles Borromeo in Minneapolis. He can be reached at [email protected]
Sunday, Oct. 16
Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
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