October 18/19 - 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Luke 18:1-8 Pray always without becoming weary. (Luke 18:1) Jesus' words in today's Gospel can sound impossible: pray always? Without growing weary? How can we do that? It's so easy to grow weary in prayer, especially in those situations when God seems slower to answer. How do we not give up? What can we do when prayer feels hard? Let’s see what our readings tell us. Be open to receiving help from your brothers and sisters. In the first reading, Moses lifts us up his staff in prayer on a mountaintop while Joshua and his army battle Israel's enemy, the Amalekites, in the valley below. But Moses begins to grow weary, so Aaron and Hur support his arms so that he can keep praying (Exodus 17:12). Because of his friends, Moses was able to persist, and that gave Israel the advantage over their enemy. It’s not always easy to ask for help when we're struggling. But asking someone to pray for us - or with us opens the door to God's grace! A friend can intercede for us and offer support when we're weary. Through their presence, they can show us that God is with us. Turn to the scriptures. In the second reading, Paul offers words of encouragement to his young disciple, Timothy. Paul senses that his martyrdom is near (2 Timothy 4:6), so he urges his friend to rely on something that is undying: the word of God. “All scripture,” he says is inspired by God” (3:16). Scripture has divine power and can bring us hope when we are weary. It can bolster our faith and fill our minds with God's truths. When we want to give up, we can remember, “My help my help is from the Lord, who made Heaven and Earth (Psalm 121:2). Rely on God. Whenever we struggle in prayer, we can ask God for His strength. Jesus himself intercedes for us, and the Spirit helps us in our weaknesses (Romans 8:26). Like the widow in today's Gospel, we can keep bothering the Lord until He comes through. He’s our loving Father. He will always help us. We are never alone! “Lord, teach me to remain prayerful all day long!” Exodus 17:8-13 Psalm 121: 1 - 8 2 Timothy 3:14-42 From "The Word Among Us"
