Catholic Caucus: Sunday Mass Readings, 10-20-13, Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

In those days, Amalek came and waged war against Israel. Moses, therefore, said to Joshua, "Pick out certain men, and tomorrow go out and engage Amalek in battle. I will be standing on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand." So Joshua did as Moses told him: he engaged Amalek in battle after Moses had climbed to the top of the hill with Aaron and Hur. As long as Moses kept his hands raised up, Israel had the better of the fight, but when he let his hands rest, Amalek had the better of the fight. Moses’hands, however, grew tired; so they put a rock in place for him to sit on. Meanwhile Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other, so that his hands remained steady till sunset. And Joshua mowed down Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

R. (cf. 2) Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. I lift up my eyes toward the mountains; whence shall help come to me? My help is from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. May he not suffer your foot to slip; may he slumber not who guards you: indeed he neither slumbers nor sleeps, the guardian of Israel. R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. The LORD is your guardian; the LORD is your shade; he is beside you at your right hand. The sun shall not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. The LORD will guard you from all evil; he will guard your life. The LORD will guard your coming and your going, both now and forever. R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

Beloved: Remain faithful to what you have learned and believed, because you know from whom you learned it, and that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are capable of giving you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that one who belongs to God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingly power: proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.

Jesus told his disciples a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary. He said, "There was a judge in a certain town who neither feared God nor respected any human being. And a widow in that town used to come to him and say, 'Render a just decision for me against my adversary.' For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought, 'While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being, because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me.'" The Lord said, "Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says. Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them? I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"

http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2013-10-20 (Pictures and links at the site.)

Old Calendar: Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost

Jesus told his disciples a parable, to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor regarded man; and there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Vindicate me against my adversary.’ For a while he refused; but afterwords he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow bothers me, I will vindicate her, or she will wear me out by her continual coming (Lk 18:1-6).’”

Click here for commentary on the readings in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.

Sunday Readings
The first reading is taken from the book of Exodus 17:8-13. In this reading the Israelites are attacked in their journey from Egypt to Canaan by the Amalek tribe who would have annihilated them were it not for Moses’s intercession with God.

The second reading is from the second letter of Paul to Timothy 3:14, 4:2. St. Paul continues to exhort and encourage his disciple Timothy to be loyal to the Christian faith which he had received from the most trustworthy of sources, St. Paul himself, and the sacred Scripture of the Old Testament. Timothy must continue to preach this “word,” this faith, no matter what the obstacles may be.

The Gospel is from St. Luke 18:1-8. There are many devout Christians who are deeply puzzled by what they think is God’s indifference to their fervent pleas for spiritual favors, which to them appear essential in their journey heavenwards. These people would readily admit that God has good reasons for not granting temporal favors—they might not be for their eternal good. Why refuse or delay granting their spiritual needs? The man or woman who has dedicated his or her life exclusively to the service of God still suffers from human weaknesses. He or she is attracted to worldly things, is finding humility and obedience very difficult, suffers from dryness in prayer or worse still is scrupulous to a degree that makes the religious life almost unbearable. Such people could work so much better for God and for their neighbor if only God would remove these weaknesses which, in fact, he could so easily do.

Or again, why should whole nations of devout Christians suffer persecution from atheistic tyrants? See their children brought up deprived of the right to practice their faith, or, worse still, taught to despise it? Surely God should answer the prayers of these good people and the fervent prayers of millions of their fellow-Christians on their behalf ...

These and many similar questionings arise in our minds because our limited, human intellects can see but one small section of the immense tapestry which God is weaving for the human race. We would all like immediate results in our own tiny corner of that tapestry while the all-wise God is occupied with the whole picture. He is not forgetting us either. If He delays in answering our urgent appeals, we can be certain that the reason is not that He wants to punish us, but rather to help us. There are many saints in heaven who would perhaps never have become saints if God had not allowed them to struggle on longer than they would have wished, against trials and difficulties—spiritual as well as physical.

Our divine Lord teaches us, in this parable, the need for perseverance in prayer. This perseverance develops our trust and confidence in God. It helps us to become humble and to realize how weak we are when left to ourselves. It keeps us close to God, as we learn how dependent we are on His generosity. If we only would realize that God is perhaps never closer to us than when we think He is forgetting us! The trials of life, spiritual or temporal, which He allows us to suffer are not obstacles to our spiritual progress but rather stepping-stones without which we could not cross the rivers of life at all.

God wants every one of us in heaven but just as no two men on earth have the same identical features, so also no two men on earth have the same road to lead them to heaven. God is supervising the journey of each one of us. He is ever there to help if the obstacle on one’s road is insurmountable. We may and we must, keep asking God for the spiritual and temporal favors which we feel we need. We must never grow despondent or feel that God has lost interest in us, if He delays in granting these favors. When we shall look back on our earthly journey from the happy vantage point of heaven, we shall see how effectively and how lovingly God regulated our journey. When He did not grant a certain favor it was because He had a much more important one to give us, one we did not ask for or even realize we needed.

“Ask and you shall receive,” not perhaps what you wanted, but what God knew you needed. “Seek and you shall find,” not the easy way which you thought you deserved, but the harder way which would make you more deserving of heaven. “Knock and it shall be opened unto you,” not the door you were standing at, which would have delayed or endangered your progress, but the door further down the street where refreshment and new courage to continue on your upward climb were awaiting you.

— Excerpted from The Sunday Readings Cycle C, Fr. Kevin O’ Sullivan, O.F.M.

The Practices of Prayer – A Homily for the 29th Sunday of the Year
By: Msgr. Charles Pope

Pictures and links here: http://blog.adw.org/

The readings today speak to us of the power of persistent prayer. In particular the first reading from Exodus pictures prayer powerfully:
In those days, Amalek came and waged war against Israel. Moses, therefore, said to Joshua, “Pick out certain men, and tomorrow go out and engage Amalek in battle. I will be standing on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” So Joshua did as Moses told him: he engaged Amalek in battle after Moses had climbed to the top of the hill with Aaron and Hur. As long as Moses kept his hands raised up, Israel had the better of the fight, but when he let his hands rest, Amalek had the better of the fight. Moses’hands, however, grew tired; so they put a rock in place for him to sit on. Meanwhile Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other, so that his hands remained steady till sunset. And Joshua mowed down Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. (Ex 17:-8-13)
We can notice here six practices related to prayer, six fundamental teachings on prayer:
I. The Problem for Prayer. In those days, Amalek came and waged war against Israel. None of us like problems, but one thing about problems is that they help to keep us praying. Israel is at war and their enemies are strong. It was time to pray.
In the Gospel for this weekend’s Mass, a widow is troubled about something and it keeps her coming back to the judge. Sometimes God allows us problems to keep us praying. Problems also keep us humble and remind us of our need for God and others.
Problems aren’t the only reason we pray but they are one important motivator. It shouldn’t be necessary that problems would cause us to pray. But if we’re honest, we’ll probably admit that problems have a way of summoning prayer from us.
II. The Priority of Prayer. Moses, therefore, said to Joshua, “Pick out certain men, and tomorrow go out and engage Amalek in battle. I will be standing on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” So Joshua did as Moses told him: he engaged Amalek in battle after Moses had climbed to the top of the hill with Aaron and Hur.
Notice that Joshua and the army did not go forth until after Moses took up his prayer place. Prayer ought to precede any major work or decision.
Too often we rush into life without praying. Each day should begin with prayer. Important decisions are a time for prayer. Prayer needs to precede, it has a priority over and before action.
Too many people use prayer as a kind of rear-guard action wherein they ask God to clean up the messes they have made by bad decisions. We end up doing a lot of things we shouldn’t because we don’t pray first. We also end up doing a lot of things poorly that prayer might have clarified or enriched.
And prayer isn’t just about praying for this or that specific thing. Prayer involves an on-going relationship with God in which we gradually begin to receive a new mind and heart, where our priorities and vision are clarified and purified. This new mind and heart we get from prayer and study of our faith are an essential part of the prayer that precedes decisions and actions.
III. The Power of Prayer. As long as Moses kept his hands raised up, Israel had the better of the fight, but when he let his hands rest, Amalek had the better of the fight.
As long as Moses prayed, Israel got the best of the battle. But when fatigue caused his prayer to diminish Israel began to lose.
The fact is, prayer changes things. We may never fully know here how our prayer helped to change world history but I am sure that one of the joys of heaven will be to see what a real difference our prayers, even the distracted and poor ones, made. We’ll tell stories in heaven of prayer’s power and appreciate what difference it made for us and what a difference we made for others. For now, much of this is hid from our eyes. But, one day, by and by, we will see with a glorious vision what prayer did.
I suppose too that one of the pangs of purgatory might be to see how our failure to pray also had negative effects and how only God’s mercy could over-rule our laziness and failure to pray.
Moses is struggling to pray here in this story. So do we. But remembering prayer’s power is an important motivator to keep us on our knees and at our beads. Pray!
IV. The Partnership of Prayer. Moses’ hands, however, grew tired; so they put a rock in place for him to sit on. Meanwhile Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other.
Moses, because of his fatigue, knows he needs to get Aaron and Hur to assist him in praying. As a team they pray together and, once again, Israel is strengthened and begins to win through.
Prayer is not supposed to be a merely “lone-ranger” experience. It is true that personal prayer is important but so is communal and group prayer. The Lord says, Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them (Matt 18:20). Likewise he says, Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven(Matt 18:19).
Hence, we are taught to gather in prayer liturgically and also to find partners for prayer. Since prayer is so essential and we are individually weak, we ought not have it all depend on us. We need our own Aaron and Hur to support us in prayer and make up for our weakness.
Do you have some spiritual friends who help you not only to pray but also to walk uprightly? Scripture says, Woe to the solitary man! For if he should fall, he has no one to lift him up….where a lone man may be overcome, two together can resist. A three-ply cord is not easily broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:10,12)
Do not pray or journey alone. Find some good spiritual friends to accompany you on your journey and to pray along with you.
V. The Persistence of Prayer. so that [Moses] hands remained steady till sunset.
The text says that, with Aaron and Hur to help him, Moses prayed right through to sunset. They prayed right until the end and so must we. There is a mystery as to why God sometimes makes us wait. But pray on anyway. We may at times get frustrated by the delay, pray on anyway. We may get fatigued or even lose heart, but pray on anyway.
Like Moses, get some friends to help you, but pray on anyway. Pray, pray, pray.
Be like the woman in today’s Gospel who just kept coming to that old judge until he rendered justice for her. Pray until the sunset of your life. I have brought people into the Church long after their spouse or mother who prayed for them has died. Just keep praying till sunset.
VI. The Product of Prayer. And Joshua mowed down Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.
The text says that the enemies of Israel were utterly defeated. This is the product and the power of persistent prayer. This is what prayer does.
We have already discussed above that we may not fully see prayer’s power and product on this side of the veil. But one day we will on glory’s side. We may not need God to mow down a foreign enemy. But how about the enemies like fear, poverty, illness, and sin? Yes, we have enemies and God still answers prayers. Pray and wait for the product of prayer.
So there it is, six practices and teachings on prayer.
This song says, “I Can Go To God in Prayer”

http://catholicherald.com/

GOSPEL COMMENTARY LK 18:1-8

Persistent prayer

Fr. Robert Wagner

This Sunday’s parable about the widow and the unjust judge provides a powerful and somewhat elusive lesson about the importance of constant prayer. In it, Jesus describes a judge deciding a case between a widow and an unknown party. The widow appears to be innocent, for her appeal is not driven by vengeance or greed. She only wants justice.

While a judge’s duty is to render justice, Jesus provides details showing us that this judge is different. First, he is a man who does not respect his neighbor. Justice can be defined as giving each person his or her due. If you drive over your neighbor’s mailbox, the just thing to do is replace it. However, since this judge does not respect his neighbors, he does not care about making things right with them, nor does he care if they act justly with each other. To make matters worse, this judge also has no fear of God — no understanding of a righteous and powerful Being, no care for following His laws, and no desire to love Him or those created in His image.

As we can imagine, a judge without a care for God or man is dangerous indeed, for he has no motivation to act justly. He simply renders decisions based on how he can profit from them. He can be corrupted by bribes, for he does not care how others are affected by his choices.

The widow does not possess influence or wealth. She has nothing with which to bribe the judge. In the time of Jesus, she is recognized as one of the most helpless people in her culture, a woman with no source of income, no one to care for her, no one to fight for her cause. Thus, she faces an impossible situation: With nothing to offer, how can she persuade a corrupt judge to rule in her favor?

And yet, through tireless and persistent supplication, through making every effort to plead her cause, this is exactly what she does. We imagine her interrupting his daily routine at work, in the public square, even at his home. Her No. 1 priority is speaking with him face to face so he sees her sincerity and desire. Clearly, the judge finds the widow a terrible nuisance, but in the end her persistent pestering inspires him to justly render the decision in her favor.

Inspired by the success of this widow in the face of impossible odds, Jesus reminds us that we need to practice the same persistence in dealing with our heavenly Father. If a dishonest judge is moved by constant pleading, how much more would our loving God favor us when we call to Him day and night?

The elusive part of this parable is that we may be tempted to think that if we pray hard enough, we will receive any favor we ask of God. However, our experience has shown us this is not necessarily true. Our God is omnipotent and perfect. He knows what we need for salvation and He makes sure we receive it. Sometimes that means we receive what we pray for, and sometimes we do not. With the eyes of faith, however, we have peace and confidence knowing that God hears all of our prayers, and we receive exactly what we need according to His loving design.

The lesson of this parable is to “pray without becoming weary.” Our experience also shows us that the more consistently and fervently we pray, the more we are at peace, no matter what situation faces us. This peace comes from encountering through prayer our merciful God and His unbounded love for us. This steady prayer increases our faith, hope and love. It allows us to recognize God at work in our lives, and to increase our focus on eternal and everlasting truths.

St. Therese of Lisieux calls prayer a “simple look turned toward heaven.” Let us imitate the consistency and urgency of the widow in the parable by turning our gazes towards God time and again each and every day: pleading for help, thanking Him, praising Him, offering Him our trials and triumphs and everything in between. In this, we truly find peace.

Fr. Wagner is Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde’s secretary.

http://www.theworkofgod.org/Devotns/Euchrist/HolyMass/gospels.asp?key=91

Year C - 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time
But do you think that when the Son of man comes, he will find faith on earth?
Luke 18:1-8

1 AND he spoke also a parable to them, that we ought always to pray, and not to lose hope,
2 Saying: There was a judge in a certain city, who feared not God, nor regarded man.
3 And there was a certain widow in that city, and she came to him, saying: Avenge me of my adversary.
4 And he would not for a long time. But afterwards he said within himself: Although I fear not God, nor regard man,
5 Yet because this widow is troublesome to me, I will avenge her, lest continually coming she weary me.
6 And the Lord said: Hear what the unjust judge says.
7 And will not God revenge his elect who cry to him day and night: and will he have patience in their regard?
8 I say to you, that he will quickly revenge them. But do you think that when the Son of man comes, he will find faith on earth?
Inspiration of the Holy Spirit - From the Sacred Heart of Jesus

How important it is to pray and believe that you will receive what you are asking for. It is the same as for a little child asking his father or mother for something he needs, and knowing that his wish will come true. The little child gives his parents the dignity they deserve, he loves them and believes firmly that they love him too and will respond to his loving request, let me assure you that they will be touched by his confidence and will make him happy. In other words, this child has great faith.

Faith is a gift that has to be cultivated through prayer and devotions; to believe is very important, but to become like a little child and put all your trust in God is more important.

I will never refuse the petitions of the humble, I am at home in their hearts and they enjoy my favour. Of course it is necessary to make your petition prayers in accordance with the Divine Will, and this is where humility receives the key to open the door of the treasures of God.

When someone is good to you, you are indebted to that person and you will find ways to repay goodness with goodness, it is the natural response. I am the Lord your God, generosity itself, giving to everyone without expecting anything in return. And so it is, that when someone makes an effort to repay my generosity, he is rewarded with the knowledge of my Will and the inheritance of my riches.

The Divine Providence has given you all the joys that you have received in your life, whatever is good has come from God’s hands, is it not about time that you begin to realize that if you make a conscious effort to please me in every way, you will start paying back my generosity and at the same time your effort will demand infinite rewards for understanding the divine mind.

Praise and thanksgiving must be always in your lips, sorrow for your sins must embitter your heart, adoration must keep your spirit on fire, and a burning desire to please God and to make up for those who embitter Him must be your intention. When you approach my heavenly throne with these feelings, you really please my heart and I feel generous towards you.

Do you think that I will find faith when I come back to the earth? Well I am here with you now; I am challenging your faith.

How much faith you wish to have in me, depends on how much you want to be with me, so let me give you courage my little one. As I have been good to you, I invite you to do everything for my sake. As I have pleased you in your life, I invite you to please me and to become my delight. As I have died for you, I invite you to remember my love constantly and to live thanking me for your future heavenly life.

Author: Joseph of Jesus and Mary

A Christian Pilgrim

19 Oct

A DETERMINED PRAYER IS POWERFUL

(Biblical reflection on the 29th Ordinary Sunday [Year C] – October 20, 2013)

Gospel Reading: Luke 18:1-8

First Reading: Exodus 17:8-13; Psalms: Psalm 121:1-8; Second Reading: 2Timothy 3:14-4:2

Scripture Text:

And He told them a parable, to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor regarded man; and there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Vindicate me against my adversary.’ For a while he refused; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow bothers me, I will vindicate her, or she will wear me out by her continual coming.’” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God vindicate His elect, who cry to Him day and night? Will He delay long over them? I tell you, He will vindicate them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

In today’s Gospel we hear another parable of Jesus which calls His disciples to pray and work with a positive attitude. Even if you are a poor “nobody”, says the Lord, like the widow, do not stop fighting for your just rights. If it means opposing the powerful and wealthy establishment, go to it.

The judge in this story is admittedly corrupt and the widow is innocent. She seems to be getting an unfair deal in her legal case because she is too poor to bribe the judge. Her opponent is no doubt an “important” citizen who can use his wealth and influence to manipulate the crooked judge.

The widow cannot compete with the insidious judge and her other adversaries on their own terms, so she decides to pick her own battlefield. She can outmaneuver them with her stubbornness. By hounding the judge continuously, she gets him to settle in her favor just to get rid of her.

Justice here is not achieved from any high motive – but nonetheless it is achieved. She really had him running scared, since he thought “she will end by doing me violence.” How did she terrorize him? Maybe she carried a heavy cane and threatened to hit him.

If we know both what we want and how we can achieve it, and pray and work stubbornly for it, it will be hard to stop us. One thing is sure: if we do not know what we want and do not work to get it, we will never have it.

The widow operated on the principle of “make it happen”. She did not hopelessly wring her hands over her misfortune and cry, “why, why Lord?” She envisioned how things should be and relentlessly prayed, “why not?”

Jesus assures us that determined prayer is powerful and can produce unexpected results. This parable is especially consoling to little people in today’s world who are so often unheard and ignored. Although political clout may seem necessary to get things done, here we are reminded of a clout even more powerful – persevering prayer. It can make the weak and poor trimph over the rich and powerful.

With Moses in today’s reading from Exodus, we lift our hands to God and refuse to rest until the battle is over and the victory has been won.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I lay before You the sufferings and needs of people I know – and my own needs, too. Come, Lord Jesus, and act to bring about justice and health and life! Show your power to save! And above all, give me Your heart, and Your wisdom. Help me to trust in You completely. Amen

The Widow Who Persevered

Pastor’s Column

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

October 20, 2013

“Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them?”

From Luke 18:1-8

This wonderful parable of the unjust judge and the persistent widow is a very appealing image. Who cannot see the humor in this story when Jesus relates it: the judge finally relents to this widow’s constant requests because he fears that she’s going to beat him up if he doesn’t! I have a hard time picturing an elderly woman doing violence to a judge, but Jesus uses such appealing images to drive home a point about our relationship with God. Like the judge, God does not always appear to care!

Who among us has not had the experience of not having his or her prayers not answered right away? It seems to be more the rule than the exception in our lives. Notice how often Jesus talks about this subject! The widow has gone before the court over and over and over again. It appears as though the judge does not hear or has other things to do. But in reality, this is meant as a spiritual growth experience – a test. Will she persevere? Will she keep asking? Will she have faith?

Of course God is not really an unjust judge – but he can appear to be. Our world is filled with injustice and with people who seem to be getting away with breaking every commandment and even prospering because of it. Why does God permit this? This is so simply because we are all still in the middle of our temporary life on earth, where God waits and gives all of us time to repent and turn back without forcing the issue. Although even in this world we begin to see justice occurring in many cases, it is only at the beginning of the next when everything will be put right; and at that time those who have done injustice to others will find they got away with nothing, they accomplished nothing, they profited nothing, because the judge was watching everything.

The Lord takes a risk in dealing with us in this way. He takes the risk that we will lose faith in him. In fact, at the end of this gospel he says, “When the Son of Man comes, will he find any faith on the earth?” This implies that not everyone is going to persevere through this test, but this is the only way that we can be free to choose God, exercise our free will which is the greatest gift that God has given us. How can we ever say that we trusted God if we always see him, always get what we want, and never suffer? Indeed, can we really say we love our spouse or children if we’ve never been willing to suffer with them, or put up with them when they are disagreeable, or to make sacrifices for them? Would anybody call that real love? So, it is the same with God. He gives us opportunities to persevere in prayer and service so that we will grow in our love and trust of God. Everything in our lives is geared toward this end.

Father Gary

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