Word to the Wise
Sunday, October 17, 2010 - Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
[Exodus 17:8-13; 2 Timothy 3:14 - 4:2; Luke 18:1-8]Proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching. [2 Timothy] Jesus told his disciples a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary. [Luke] 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. [Exodus]
One of the principal features of my itinerant preaching ministry is what I might call the "ministry of encouragement." I preach retreats for priests, deacons, religious and Lay Ecclesial Ministers (Eucharistic Ministers, Catechists, etc.) and parish missions all over the United States. In every place I meet wonderful clergy, religious and laity who are engaged in the effort to do precisely what the line says, quoted above from 2 Timothy. The challenge in so many cases is to sustain the good work through thick and thin! Both the short term (How am I ever going to teach this particular subject?) and the long term (How can I do this another year?) are persistent concerns that I hear expressed. Fatigue and discouragement are tough enemies! All three of today's scriptures speak in one way or another to this challenge. Jesus reminds us that we must pray always and that God will see that our prayers are effective. St. Paul reminds Timothy of the resources that he has from his own formation, especially the scriptures, and to draw strength from that. Last but not least, there is that almost comic scene of Moses sitting on a rock overlooking a crucial battle with his hands held up by Aaron and Hur so that Joshua can defeat Amalek! (I am reminded of the song by the Beatles, "I get by with a little help from my friends."). Indeed, the most important help to perseverance may be found in that scene: help from friends! I know how important the prayers of my friends are in helping me to persevere in my itinerant ministry, so I consider it a sacred duty on my own part to pray for them every day as a way of encouragement. In our rather result-oriented culture, it can be difficult to enage in a task that requires effort over a long period of time and where success cannot be always measured in physical ways. Preaching the gospel means changing and encouraging the human mind and heart. The Word of God today offers us the assurance that we have the resources, that God does hear our prayers and that we need to let our friends help us to persevere. AMEN
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