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16th October 2022

Homily for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

READ: (Ex 17: 8-13; 2 Tim 3: 14-4:2; Lk 18: 1-8)

REFLECT: Persistence Pays

Dear friends, we all of us know that persistence is the ability to continue to get back no matter how many times one has been knocked down. It requires will power, flexibility, strength of character, determination and a desire to succeed at all costs. By the act of persistence we are able and willing to stick to a task, even at times it may be challenging. Some of us have the willingness to pursue at something, even when they run into barricades along the way. There are some others who may not be willing to but intend to drop a task because of the difficulty involved to move on. But by all means one who persists with good efforts and good intentions win over the situations or events, because persistence gives the power to move further in life to accomplish the purpose we start with. That’s what we see in the liturgy of the word, making us realize how persistent we need to be in life. Therefore, basing on the liturgy of the word, I would like to share with you three points of reflection.

1. Persistent presence:

We have often times heard people saying, “God is everywhere.” Yes, the perpetual presence of God is felt everywhere, provided we believe and trust in God’s presence and existence. The first reading from the book of Exodus speaks of the persistent presence of God in the victory over the battle against Amalekites. The Amalekites are mentioned as a fierce tribe in the vicinity of Kadesh in (Gen 14:7; Num 13:29; 14:25). Moses defeats them by stretching out over them the rod that he used to defeat Pharaoh. The God of Israel fights for his people whenever the rod was raised.  The primary function of this section that we have in the first reading in its present location is yet another proof and benefit of Yahweh’s Presence with Israel as he was with the people of Israel in their redemption from the Egyptian slavery.

Today we all of us go through in one way or the other a battle of life that baffles us, batter us,  defeat us, make us feel low, wearisome, the experience of pain and anguish, exhaustion and desperation. In all situations, we need to just remind ourselves the persistent presence of God, believe in his presence, who will help us to win over the battle of life successfully. When we believe in the powerful and perpetual presence of God like Moses, who through the staff or rod of God, the power of God was flowing through it to obtain victory over the battle against Amalekites, we will be able to win over the battle of life smoothly and successful with the aid of God.

Today, most of us are defeated or depressed by the daily activities and accomplishments or situations and conditions perhaps by our failure to recognize the perpetual presence of God. Let us persist in our efforts to realize the perpetual and powerful presence of God. That’s what the scripture very assuredly says, “If God is for us who can be against us,” (Rom 8:31). Yes, God is always for us, with us, in us and through us. But the problem with each one of us is that we don’t feel for God or feel his presence in and around us. Let us experience God in our lives in every activity that we do or undertake and certainly God will enable us to find victory over every battle of life that baffles or bothers us.

2. Persistent knowledge:

The quest for knowledge does not increase by remaining idle rather quest in us increases by desiring to read books regularly or listening to experts of different area. Similarly, the quest for knowing God increases intensely and his words become a reality, when we persistently make efforts to know Christ in and through his word. That’s what we see in the second reading from St. Paul’s second letter to Timothy. The second reading from St. Paul inspires each one to continue having faith in Jesus Christ of what they have learnt, believed, known and acquainted with the sacred writings.

It calls our persistence in knowing Christ through the word of God and firmly be rooted in God’s word, preach the word of God and live the word of God in life. The life of St. Paul is a model for all of us to thirst for God and to have the quest to know Christ. Very strongly St. Paul says, “Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ,” (Phil 3: 7-9).

Today, we all of us have the desire to know quite a lot of things in the world. It may be about the nature, space and time, different continents and countries, inventions of human mind like computers, mobiles, music and media, academics of different departments, history and historical events of the world, about others and oneself. But how many of us have a sincere quest to know God, the creator of the universe, the prime cause of all that exists in the world? When we see God in all that exists in the world, we will come to know how great God is. When we know how great God is, we will understand what great things God can do in our lives and enable us accomplish life’s purpose.

That’s why someone has very beautifully said, “Knowledge of God is the wisdom of life.” Knowing God through the scriptures and the acts of God in the history of humankind will make us move closer to God; it will help us to discern life in the right ways and have better perspectives. The letter to the Hebrews brilliantly tells us the power of God’s word, “Indeed, the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Heb 4:12). So let us persist in our quest to know God through the word of God in the bible and come closer to God to enjoy the privileges that God has set for each one of us.

3. Persistent Prayer:

We all of us know and have learnt from experience and belief in God hat Prayer has a definite answer from God. But more than a mere prayer, the disposition of prayer, the intention of praying, the situations of prayer matters a lot. Above all, if one is able to pray persistently with faith in God, amidst struggles and sufferings, misunderstanding and miseries of life, God hears the prayer and answers our needs at an appointed time in an unexpected and unknown ways. That’s what we see in the Gospel reading of the day.

The Gospel reading from Luke invites each one to be persistent in prayer and never lose heart. As an example we have the parable of the judge and the widow. The widow’s persistent plea to the judge to take action on the adversaries for the injustice done makes the judge do something to obtain justice for her. The judge does it, so that he would get rid of widow’s continual botheration. The gospel ends with the words of Jesus that God will give justice to his elect or to the people who plea and cry for help speedily and definitely.

Most of us have the habit of praying regularly. It is something to be appreciated and admired. Sometimes, the habit of praying becomes monotonous; a kind of routine work, at times our praying ends up in boredom. Sometimes, when we don’t get what we ask for or pray for, we lose heart and get discouraged. But Jesus reminds us to pray not only regularly but persistently. What made the judge to take action against the adversaries of the widow was not his genuine interest to deal with the case but to get rid of her, who bothered him continuously. But her persistence persevered to obtain justice for her. Similarly, we need to pray persistently to God in prayer and God will surely answer our prayer. Because the parable of the day from the Gospel presents God as the just judge, who would certainly give justice to people who plea for help, even if he delays. But we see here the justice of God by all means.

In a world where delayed justice is a denied justice, God assures justice to people although it may be delayed. Further, the judge in the parable is presented as an unjust judge, the one who has no fear of God or no respect for anyone. If this unjust judge who neither feared God nor revered anyone could give justice to a widow, how much more God the just judge, who accepts us as we are, who are close to his heart would he not give justice when we ask for or cry for help. For some of us persistence may be a feeling of low self-esteem, for some of us persistence may be a struggle, for some of us persistence may be shameful act as to how many times one needs to plead for help, but if we look at it in the right frame of mind, persistence is an assistance to self-esteem and growth as human persons and a movement to grow in mature faith in God.

As pope Francis says, “True progress in spiritual life does not consist in multiplying ecstasies, but in being able to persevere in difficult times. Walk, walk, walk on and if you are tired, stop a little and then start walking again; but with perseverance.” Yes, our persistence is nothing but our efforts to persevere in prayer. So let us persist in our prayer to God, God will definitely hear and answer our prayer, if not immediately but surely he will come to our rescue and redemption.

RESPOND:

Do we realize the persistent, perpetual and powerful presence of God in our lives?

Do we persist in our efforts to know God through the word of God by reading, reflecting and responding it in our daily lives?

Do we pray to God in persistence and perseverance with deep faith and trust?

Let us pray that we remind ourselves of the powerful presence of God, God’s word in our lives and persist in our efforts to pray to God sincerely, for persistence really pays us great prize from God. Amen.

“Perseverance however always the most desirable gift that we can hope for in this life; it is besides as the Council of Trent declares, “one which can only come to a man from God, who alone is well able to give him a sure footing, when he is on his feet or raise him when he falls.” That’s why we are to ask for it unceasingly; resorting to those measures for gaining it hat God has taught us to use: Prayer, almsgiving, frequent reception of Sacraments, membership of religious societies, attendance at sermons and spiritual reading.” (St. Francis De Sales, TLG, Bk 3, Chap 4, pp. 97-98).

God bless us all…

Live Jesus