Saturday the 32nd Week in Ordinary Time
(3 John 5 – 8; Ps. 112; Luke 8: 1 – 8)
For anyone given to prayer, the Gospel is both consoling and challenging – as is our faith journey. Our faith is expressed in prayer and our prayer flows from faith.
On one hand, Jesus in the parable is quick to point out that God is never like the haughty judge who feared neither God nor man and finally gave in to the woman because he feared she might do him harm. Jesus’ teaching is most clear: “Will God then not secure the rights of His chosen ones who call out day and night? Will He be slow to answer? He will see to it that justice is done quickly.” Very consoling words from the living Word of God the Father Himself.
Yet, at the same time there are good people – perhaps, people we know who, in distress, in sickness, in fear, in harm’s way, call out day and night and no answer seems to come. They wait, call out; some give up “what’s the use?” – or go on with kind of a defeated faith.
What is the answer to this? First of all, we hear it in Jesus’ prayer “Your will be done” – that intention goes with every prayer. Secondly, who knows the mind of God perfectly? Who sees all of life as He sees it, the complete, total picture? We do not, that’s for sure!
With such prayer not answered as we desire, as we plead, we are thrown back on the reality of faith, the bare reality of believing, hoping, trusting and perhaps, even forgiving God for the delay, the silence.
But even this is the experience of God’s grace; being empowered to keep choosing to believe in His goodness, mercy, forgiveness and this is no small thing – it certainly is not some kind of cheap belief – it is belief that includes some death to self.
Assuredly there are many who have and who do live such belief – therefore, it is possible, not easy, but possible because the grace of God in our hearts makes it possible. Whenever we pray, however, we pray, God is gracing us.
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