First Reading • Exodus 17:8-13
Psalm • Psalm 121:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8
Second Reading • 2 Timothy 3:14-4:2
Gospel • Luke 18:1-8
Many people get unsettled when they encounter passages of violence and warfare in the Bible, like today’s reading from the Book of Exodus. If God is a God of love and peace, why would stories of bloodshed appear in His word?
One important thing to remember is that the Bible often describes events as they happened in their own time, three thousand years ago.
It does not always approve of what people did, it simply recounts the reality of their lives and struggles.
In fact, it is precisely through the development of faith in Judaism and Christianity that humanity has come to see just how tragic and destructive war and violence truly are.
Saint Paul reminds us in today’s second reading that “all Scripture is inspired by God” (2 Tim 3:16). That means even the difficult stories carry a lesson, a truth beneath the surface that can give us wisdom for salvation. In today’s story from Exodus, Moses raises his hands in intercession, and as long as his arms are lifted, the people prevail. When his arms grow weary, the battle falters.
Prayer is shown to be a real struggle, but also a real power.
Just as Moses needed Aaron and Hur to support him, we too need the help of others in prayer. We are not meant to pray alone. When we join together in prayer, as we are doing now at Mass, we are stronger, and God’s power works through us.
And Jesus makes the same point in today’s Gospel: “pray always and do not lose heart.”
He tells the story of the persistent widow who keeps coming back, knocking again and again, until the judge finally grants her justice.
Like Moses who refused to stop interceding, she refused to give up hope.
Both show us that God responds to persevering prayer. Even when the answer seems delayed, Jesus promises that God will bring about justice in His time.
And notice something: that judge was unjust. He neither feared God nor respected people. Yet, because of her persistence, he eventually gave in and did her a favor.
In a way, that unjust judge was better than many of us. At least he finally opened the door. But how often do we keep our doors closed to others?
How often do we refuse to listen; not because we’re evil, but because we don’t want to be bothered, or because we’re only concerned with ourselves?
Sometimes we insist on proving we’re right. Sometimes we even use every means possible to chase others away. Jesus is warning us here: if even an unjust judge can be moved, how much more should we, who claim to follow Christ, be ready to open the door, to listen, and to act with compassion?
We know this from our own experience. Prayer is not easy.
The first battle we face is with ourselves; our distractions, our busyness, our wandering thoughts.
Suddenly, when it is time to pray, we remember a hundred other responsibilities! Yet the saints remind us: don’t give up. Saint Josemaria Escriva once said, “A saint is a sinner who keeps on trying.” Simply showing up to give God our time makes us holy.
The second battle is with discouragement. We may wonder: “Is God listening? Is this doing any good?”
That is exactly what the devil wants us to think, because he fears the power of prayer. Even when we don’t see results, God is at work.
Like a parent who delights in the babbling of a child, our Heavenly Father treasures every word, every attempt at prayer, no matter how small. Time spent in prayer is never wasted.
And there is more at stake than we can see. As Saint Paul writes in Ephesians, “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces of evil” (Eph 6:12).
Prayer is our weapon in this unseen battle. The more we pray, the less power evil has over us and over the world.
So, brothers and sisters, let us persevere. If you already pray daily, keep it up even when it feels like a struggle. If you have not yet made prayer part of your daily life, consider this a wake-up call.
God is calling each of us to lift our arms in prayer; for our families, our parish, our community, and our world. Like the persistent widow in Jesus’ parable, let us not give up until God brings about justice and peace.
Because with God, nothing is impossible.
