Word to the Wise
Saturday, November 15, 2014 - Saturday in the 32th Week in Ordinary Time
[3 John 5-8 and Luke 18:1-8]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?
NOVEMBER 15 ST. ALBERT THE GREAT, O.P. [scientist, theologian, bishop]
The parable in today's gospel scripture is about a widow who is determined to get a local judge to rule in her favor against an adversary. The judge delays but the widow is so insistent that he fears losing his "honor" in the community, so he rules for her. Jesus applies this to the subject of perseverance at prayer. If a dishonest judge can respond to persistence, will not the good God respond to protect those who believe?
Perseverance in prayer is a subject that frequently appears in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The pace of life in our culture seems to militate against thinking about or speaking to God except on Sunday, if even then! In response I suggest to many of those who complain about this that they should consider prayer as much a part of their day as brushing their teeth. They wouldn't dream of going to work without having taken care of that bit of hygiene. If prayer becomes a part of their hygiene, they will consider their day incomplete if they have not spent some time in prayer.
It may seem to us a bit strange to be nagging God, but the Lord seems to recommend that we do exactly that! Persistence and perseverance can be valuable qualities when employed in working with God to bring about the salvation freely offered to us! AMEN