Saturday 15th November – Saturday of week 32 of the year

Reflection: Luke 18: 1-8

PERSEVERE IN FAITH

St. Therese of Lisieux once said that “prayer is a surge of the heart, a simple look turned toward heaven, a cry of recognition of love, embracing both trial and joy”. This describes the attitude of the widow in our reading today who kept on disturbing the judge until she received her request. When prayer is removed from a child of God, the fellow is as good as a living-dead. Prayerlessness makes such individuals open to satanic oppression which thrives on lack of faith (Ephesians 6: 11, 18). This is why Jesus admonishes his disciples in today’s reading to pray continually and never become discouraged (Luke 18:1).

There is a tendency to be afraid that we may be unable to sustain our faith in prayer to the end. Beloved, we must look beyond ourselves – we must fix our gaze on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith who, for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross (Hebrews 12:2). The strength to do God’s will is given to us by the Holy Spirit. As we wait upon God in prayer and resist the temptation to cut corners or seek the “easy way out” we can be sure of God’s faithfulness and blessings upon our lives.

Our decision may deny us of friends who prefer to enjoy all their treasures on earth and store nothing in heaven. It may make us seem like fools to the world though we know that we are wise in union with Christ Jesus (1Corinthians 4:10). Our faith when tested will win us a crown of glory. Let us look up to the great crowd of witnesses – our brothers and sisters who have gone before us; chief of whom is our Blessed Mother and find strength through their examples of faith and powerful intercession.

 PRAYER: Lord Jesus, grant me the gift of faith and empower me by the help of the Holy Spirit to nurture it in prayer.

KNOW YOUR FAITH: YOUCAT 279 – Why do we need faith and the sacraments in order to live a good, upright life?

If we were to rely only on ourselves and our own strength, we would not get far in our attempts to be good. Through faith we discover that we are God’s children and that God makes us strong. When God gives us his strength, we call this “grace”. Especially in the sacred signs that we call the Sacraments, God gives us the ability actually to do the good that we want to do.

HIDE A TREASURE: “But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit” Jude 1: 20 RSV-CE

Readings for Today: 3 John 1: 5:8; Psalm 112: 1-6; Luke 18:1-8