Saturday November 13

THIRTIETH-SECOND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME 

INSISTENT PRAYER

                                   

Introduction

      Their salvation through the Red Sea and their journey through the desert were like a new creation for the Hebrew people. God protected them and led them to freedom. This reminds us how our passing through the saving waters of baptism has recreated us as the People of God.

      Luke must have had in mind those who pray and think that God does not act when they beg him. There is also an eschatological tone in the words of Jesus, that the delay in the coming of the kingdom should not discourage us. In any case, our prayer should be trustful and insistent.

 

Opening Prayer

Lord our God,
we know that you are our loving Father,
that you wait for us
and that you are attentive to us
every moment of our lives.
Let then our prayer come to you
as a breath of hope and a cry of trust
coming from the poverty of our hearts.
If you have to turn us down
when we ask for harmful or useless things,
give us what we really need
and keep our trust alive
that you are good and loving
for you love us in Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

Reading 1: Wis 18:14-16; 19:6-9

When peaceful stillness compassed everything
and the night in its swift course was half spent,
Your all-powerful word, from heaven’s royal throne
bounded, a fierce warrior, into the doomed land,
bearing the sharp sword of your inexorable decree.
And as he alighted, he filled every place with death;
he still reached to heaven, while he stood upon the earth.

For all creation, in its several kinds, was being made over anew,
serving its natural laws,
that your children might be preserved unharmed.
The cloud overshadowed their camp;
and out of what had before been water, dry land was seen emerging:
Out of the Red Sea an unimpeded road,
and a grassy plain out of the mighty flood.
Over this crossed the whole nation sheltered by your hand,
after they beheld stupendous wonders.
For they ranged about like horses,
and bounded about like lambs,
praising you, O Lord! their deliverer.

 

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 105:2-3, 36-37, 42-43

(5a) Remember the marvels the Lord has done!
or:
R. Alleluia.
Sing to him, sing his praise,
proclaim all his wondrous deeds.
Glory in his holy name;
rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!
R. Remember the marvels the Lord has done!
or:
R. Alleluia.
Then he struck every first born throughout their land,
the first fruits of all their manhood.
And he led them forth laden with silver and gold,
with not a weakling among their tribes.
R. Remember the marvels the Lord has done!
or:
R. Alleluia.
For he remembered his holy word
to his servant Abraham.
And he led forth his people with joy;
with shouts of joy, his chosen ones.
R. Remember the marvels the Lord has done!
or:
R. Alleluia.

 

Alleluia: 2 Thes 2:14

Alleluia, alleluia.
God has called us through the Gospel,
to possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

 

Gospel: Lk 18:1-8

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?”

 

Intercessions

–   For ministers in the Church, that they may be men and women of prayer mindful of the Lord’s words, “Without me you can do nothing,” we pray:

–   For all who seek God, that they may enter into a dialogue with God by praying from the heart how they can live their Christian life, we pray:

–   For all Christians, that our prayers for the poor and the suffering may commit them more to bringing them justice, lightening their burdens and restoring their dignity, we pray:

 

Prayer over the Gifts

God our Father,
you cannot resist our prayer
if we have full trust in you.
Let the Holy Spirit here among us
prompt us to pray trustingly and insistently.
Let him cry out in our hearts
and call you our Father.
through him who offers himself and us to you,
Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

Prayer after Communion

God our Father,
with Jesus we have raised our hands
in prayer to you, our living God.
With Jesus we keep trusting in you.
Hear us, then, even in our pains and struggles,
when we are disappointed and grope in the dark.
For we believe that you love us
and want us to find happiness
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

Blessing

We should keep in mind that prayer is not just asking for favors for each of us personally but, aside from praise and thanks to God, an intercession for the good of others, of the community. The more reason why it should be insistent! May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

 

Commentary

Wisdom was evident in the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt. Today’s reading speaks of it in highly poetic terms. Deliverance was accomplished by God’s word, which served as the conduit of his will.

It brought death to the Egyptians. Creation itself was made responsive to the needs of die fleeing Israelites; the Red Sea became a road to freedom. The now empowered people saw die hand of God and praised him for their deliverance.

The Gospel today encourages ceaseless prayer to God. The judge in the parable fears neither God nor man. He is repeatedly asked to render a judgment favorable to a persistent widow. He is not termed a just judge, and he grants her request only because she importunes him. Will not God, who is a just judge, act in favor of his chosen ones even more readily? Therefore, we are to continue in prayer. But the story ends on a questioning note. Will there still be faith on the earth when the Son of Man appears?

In the face of all that God has done on our behalf, we would like to believe that faith will perdure. Luke addresses the question because of a growing uncertainty in the community resulting from the delay in the Lord’s return. The truth is, however, that faith does not always retain its sharp edge. Despite all the wonders that Israel experienced, their betrayal of God brought havoc upon them through the centuries. Persistent prayer is a sign of faith. We pray that we shall persevere and not grow weary.

 

Points to Ponder

The exodus experience and Israelite faith

Perseverance in prayer

The prayer of petition.