While the study of Scripture is always a serious matter, at times the Lord does include a bit of humor. We have an example in today’s Gospel parable where we find a corrupt judge who by his own admission, “neither feared God nor respected any human being.” A widow appeals to this merciless judge for a just decision and she receives one, not because she possesses power, influence or money, and not because it is the right thing for the judge to do, but because he was tired of being nagged to death and even feared being trashed by the widow!
The moral of the parable is “persistence pays off.” Persistence is an important ingredient in our life of prayer. The Lord reminds of this more than once in the Gospel, and yet, prayer can be so difficult.
We can struggle with distractions. We can become restless or frustrated because it can seem such a dry or tedious exercise. So often discouragement sets in when we believe that the Lord is not listening to our prayers or that he is unconcerned about our plight or our needs. It is also easy to lament that we are not receiving the answer we want from God.
In these situations, our tendency is to stop praying altogether convinced that it is useless. Still the Lord models prayer for us and insists that we pray always without becoming weary.
Why should we “stick with it” even when our enthusiasm for prayer wanes? I’d like to offer three reasons:
Persistent prayer reminds us that we are totally dependent on God. Staying with prayer helps us to realize that our own resources are insufficient and this allows us to place ourselves in the hands of God. Left to ourselves we discover our weaknesses, in prayer we begin to find strength in God.
Persistent prayer helps us see the difference between temporary, surface desires and deep-seated, sincere needs. Praying over an extended time, allows us to weed out those petitions that may be improper or untimely. We might say that ongoing prayer purifies the contents of our petitions.
Persistent prayer develops patience. We learn to wait on God since he has the broad view of life. He knows what is best for us. There is often a big difference between our plans and God’s plans. The answers to our prayers may come but not in the timeframe or in the way we expect. Padre Pio reminded us that “We cannot give God deadlines.” In the end, the best prayer always ends with the words of the Lord, “Not my will but yours be done!” Persistent prayer carries us to that point.
I like this prayer of Fr. Henri Nouwen:
Dear God, I am full of wishes, full of desires, full of expectations. Some of them may be realized, many may not, but in the midst of all my satisfactions and disappointments, I hope in you. I know that you will never leave me alone and will fulfill your divine promises. Even when it seems that things are not going my way, I know that they are going your way and that in the end, your way is the best way for me. O Lord, strengthen my hope, especially when my many wishes are not fulfilled. Let me never forget that your name is Love. Amen.
