Workers with Persistence

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today alert us to the persistent efforts needed to support goodness and remind us to respond to the persistent needs of the less fortunate.

Respond to Persistent Needs

The reading from the Third Letter of John urges support for Co-workers with the Truth.

* [5] You are faithful in all you do: Gaius’s aid to the missionaries is a manifestation of his true Christian faith.

* [6] Help them…to continue their journey: the Presbyter asks Gaius not only to continue to welcome the missionaries to his community but also to equip them for further travels.

* [7] The Name: of Jesus Christ (cf. Acts 5:41; 1 Jn 2:12; 3:23; 5:13). Accepting nothing: not expecting support from the pagans to whom they preach the gospel, so that they will not be considered as beggars; they required support from other Christians; cf. Paul’s complaints to the Corinthians (1 Cor 9:3–12). (3 John, THE THIRD LETTER OF JOHN | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 112 declares the Blessings of the Righteous.

* [Psalm 112] An acrostic poem detailing the blessings received by those who remain close to God by obedience to the commandments. Among their blessings are children (Ps 112:2), wealth that enables them to be magnanimous (Ps 112:3, 5, 9), and virtue by which they encourage others (Ps 112:4). The just person is an affront to the wicked, whose hopes remain unfulfilled (Ps 112:10). The logic resembles Ps 1; 111.

* [112:3] Righteousness: in the Second Temple period the word acquired the nuance of liberality and almsgiving, cf. Sir 3:30; 7:10; Mt 6:1–4. (Psalms, PSALM 112, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus teaches the Parable of the Persistent Widow and the Unjust Judge.

* [18:1–14] The particularly Lucan material in the travel narrative concludes with two parables on prayer. The first (Lk 18:1–8) teaches the disciples the need of persistent prayer so that they not fall victims to apostasy (Lk 18:8). …

* [18:5] Strike me: the Greek verb translated as strike means “to strike under the eye” and suggests the extreme situation to which the persistence of the widow might lead. It may, however, be used here in the much weaker sense of “to wear one out.” (Luke, CHAPTER 18, n.d.)

George Butterfield notes how local Christians tended to welcome them into their home and give them food and a place to rest before moving on. St. John encourages them to help and support them, not only with food and shelter, but with the finances they need to continue their journey.

This is a beautiful teaching, but would you be surprised that people took advantage of it? Hey, people will pay my way to travel, wine and dine me at each stop, and I don’t have to really be a prophet at all. This became a real problem in the early Church.

There are people who take advantage of the generosity of others. However, St. John and the psalmist encourage us to be generous. No matter what the motives are of those who ask for help, we will not be judged based on their motives but on whether or not we are kind and generous. The writer to the Hebrews says that we should practice hospitality. Who knows – it could be an angel that we are ministering to. (Butterfield, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Persistent prayer transforms iniquity and wickedness into mercy,” by Ephrem the Syrian (306-373 AD).

"How was that unjust judge immoral and wicked? How was the upright judge gracious and just? The first in his iniquity was not willing to vindicate the widow, and in his wickedness, he was not willing to put her mind at rest. The justice of God knows how to vindicate, and his grace discerns how to give life. The iniquity of this wicked judge was contrary to the justice of God, and the wickedness of this rebel was in opposition to the grace of the gentle One. His wickedness therefore was stubbornness, for it dared to go against the fear of God. His boldness was stubborn, for it refused the lowly person."

"These two were stubborn, but persistent prayer was even more stubborn. The persistence of the widow humiliated both the iniquity that was rebelling against God and the boldness that was behaving arrogantly towards human beings. She subjected them to her will, so that they might provide her with a vindication over her adversary. Persistence transformed these two bitter branches, and they bore sweet fruit that was against their nature. The iniquity of the judge brought about a righteous judgment and a just retribution for the falsely accused woman. His wickedness gave peace to the afflicted one, although iniquity does not know how to judge, and wickedness does not know how to give refreshment. Persistence forced these two evil and bitter branches to give good fruit against their nature. If we persist in prayer, we should be even more able to prevail on the grace and justice of God to give us fruit that agrees with their nature. Let justice vindicate us, and let grace refresh us. Accordingly, the fruit of justice is the just reward of the oppressed, while the giving of refreshment to the afflicted is the fruit of grace." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON TATIAN'S DIATESSARON 16.16.6) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 18:1-8 comments that our heavenly Father treasures persistence because he knows what it can produce in his children. Persistence keeps our eyes fixed on him, and it helps us open our hearts to his will.

Your Father loves persistence because he can do great things in you when you persist in prayer. So take a moment now to bring your needs to him. Start with some words of thanks for who he is. Recall that he is the Lord who created you and loves you. Let him know your heart is open to receive whatever he has for you. And don’t give up!

“Lord God, hear my prayer! I trust in you, my loving Father.” (Meditation on Luke 18:1-8, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the message of the Third Letter of John encouraging communities to accept strangers and show hospitality. In the Didache, from the first century, the disciple who stays for two days is true, but after three days, kick him out. Friar Jude reminds us to pray insistently for the things we really need and accept the response that God gives us.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces James Finley who suggests that to put on the “mind of Christ” is to experience our connection to God and others, and to act accordingly.

 

To enter the mind of Christ is to realize our oneness with the faces we see on television in the evening news. It is to realize we are one with that homeless person we saw going through the trash receptacle. The woman at the local market, the man who comes to check our gas meter, and all who have hurt us, abandoned us, and have otherwise wronged us, along with all the women and men we have never met—we are to realize that we are equally, fully one with every blessed one of them. We are to give witness to this awareness … and we are to put this love into action by the ways in which we treat others, and by what we are willing to do for them as expressions of our love for them.  (Rohr, n.d.) 

We seek enlightenment of the Spirit to be responsive to the persistence of our fellow humans to achieve justice and support in their struggles.

References

Butterfield, G. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. OnlineMinistries. Retrieved November 16, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/111624.html 

Luke, CHAPTER 18. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved November 16, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/18? 

Meditation on Luke 18:1-8. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved November 16, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/11/16/1130594/ 

Psalms, PSALM 112. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved November 16, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/112?1 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Reconnecting to Our Source: Weekly Summary. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved November 16, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/we-are-not-separate-weekly-summary/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Always Pray and Do Not Lose Heart. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved November 16, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=nov16 

3 John, THE THIRD LETTER OF JOHN | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved November 16, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/3john/1?5 

Guidance Protection and Persistence

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today remind us to be grateful for the Presence of God on our journey, even as that experience reaffirms our persistence in prayer, contemplation, and action.

Signs of Guidance Protection and Persistence

The reading from the Book of Wisdom reaffirms that God guides and protects His people.

* [18:14–16] These verses attribute to the personified “word” the actions of the Lord mentioned in Ex 12:13–17 (note the role of the “destroyer” in Ex 12:23 and compare Wis 18:22, 25).

* [19:6] The cooperation of creation in Israel’s deliverance (vv. 7–12) under the direction of the Lord is a favorite theme; cf. 16:24–25. (Wisdom, CHAPTER 18 and 19, n.d.)

Psalm 105 praises God’s Faithfulness to Israel.

* [Psalm 105] A hymn to God who promised the land of Canaan to the holy people, cf. Ps 78; 106; 136. Israel is invited to praise and seek the presence of God (Ps 105:1–6), who is faithful to the promise of land to the ancestors (Ps 105:7–11). In every phase of the national story—the ancestors in the land of Canaan (Ps 105:12–15), Joseph in Egypt (Ps 105:16–22), Israel in Egypt (Ps 105:23–38), Israel in the desert on the way to Canaan (Ps 105:39–45)—God remained faithful, reiterating the promise of the land to successive servants. (Psalms, PSALM 105, n.d.)

The Gospel of Luke is the Parable of the Widow and the Unjust Judge.

* [18:1–14] The particularly Lucan material in the travel narrative concludes with two parables on prayer. The first (Lk 18:1–8) teaches the disciples the need of persistent prayer so that they not fall victims to apostasy (Lk 18:8).

* [18:5] Strike me: the Greek verb translated as strike means “to strike under the eye” and suggests the extreme situation to which the persistence of the widow might lead. It may, however, be used here in the much weaker sense of “to wear one out.” (Luke, CHAPTER 18, n.d.)

Cindy Costanzo comments that Jesus assures us our prayers will be answered. Jesus asks us to believe, to pray for our needs and the needs of others, to not grow weary and to have faith.

I am blessed as I look back on the last 45 years of prayers, the decisions made in unison with Jesus’ guidance went well while those decisions when I was individualistic, dependent on myself, acting only under my own authority did not go so well. Today I pray to always stay aware of Jesus' presence and Jesus’ spirit. (Costanzo, 2023)

Don Schwager quotes “Persistent prayer transforms iniquity and wickedness into mercy, “by Ephrem the Syrian (306-373 AD).

"How was that unjust judge immoral and wicked? How was the upright judge gracious and just? The first in his iniquity was not willing to vindicate the widow, and in his wickedness, he was not willing to put her mind at rest. The justice of God knows how to vindicate, and his grace discerns how to give life. The iniquity of this wicked judge was contrary to the justice of God, and the wickedness of this rebel was in opposition to the grace of the gentle One. His wickedness therefore was stubbornness, for it dared to go against the fear of God. His boldness was stubborn, for it refused the lowly person."

"These two were stubborn, but persistent prayer was even more stubborn. The persistence of the widow humiliated both the iniquity that was rebelling against God and the boldness that was behaving arrogantly towards human beings. She subjected them to her will, so that they might provide her with a vindication over her adversary. Persistence transformed these two bitter branches, and they bore sweet fruit that was against their nature. The iniquity of the judge brought about a righteous judgment and a just retribution for the falsely accused woman. His wickedness gave peace to the afflicted one, although iniquity does not know how to judge, and wickedness does not know how to give refreshment. Persistence forced these two evil and bitter branches to give good fruit against their nature. If we persist in prayer, we should be even more able to prevail on the grace and justice of God to give us fruit that agrees with their nature. Let justice vindicate us, and let grace refresh us. Accordingly, the fruit of justice is the just reward of the oppressed, while the giving of refreshment to the afflicted is the fruit of grace." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON TATIAN'S DIATESSARON 16.16.6) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 18:1-8 comments that we can grow weary when we pray for long periods of time and fail to see any change in our situation. We might even think that God is distant or indifferent to our concerns. Or maybe we start to think that he has more important people and issues to deal with than ours!

So if you are feeling weary, let this widow in today’s parable be your inspiration to persevere in prayer. Whatever you’re struggling with, believe that God hears you every time you turn to him. And whether or not you receive the answer you’re looking for, you can trust that he is doing a work of transformation in your heart that will last into eternity.

“Lord, I know that you always hear my prayers. Help me to pray with faith in your goodness and care for me.” (Meditation on Luke 18:1-8, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on Lady Wisdom at the Exodus and how the Israelites would not have survived without her intervention. The New Testament presents preexisting Jesus as Wisdom Incarnate. Friar Jude comments on the message of the Gospel to have chutzpah in our prayer even as we prepare to accept the possible answers of “No”, “Wait a bit”,  or “ in God’s time” to our prayer.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, shares the thoughts of Hospice worker and psychotherapist Kathleen Dowling Singh (1946–2017), who taught how her spiritual practice of offering loving-kindness to herself and others deepened in the second half of her life.

I remember the first few times I sat to do metta practice and found powerful resistance in my mind. Imagine that—resistance to offering myself happiness and wellness and peace and ease. The resistance was the belief in my unworthiness, my conviction that I didn’t yet deserve to be happy or hadn’t yet “earned” being peaceful. It was both sad and stunning to become aware of the resistance of all those deep, damaging, draining beliefs.

My prayer: “May this space I call me be happy, well, safe, peaceful, and at ease.” There is a deeper place—closer to essential nature, less filled with ego’s thoughts—that holds the intentions and wishes. It is grace. (Rohr, 2023)

As we attend to the guidance of the Spirit we experience Divine support as the fruit of our persistence in prayer and faith.

References

Costanzo, C. (2023, November 18). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved November 18, 2023, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/111823.html 

Luke, CHAPTER 18. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved November 18, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/18?1 

Meditation on Luke 18:1-8. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved November 18, 2023, from https://wau.org/meditations/2023/11/18/832356/ 

Psalms, PSALM 105. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved November 18, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/105?2 

Rohr, R. (2023, November 18). Falling Upward: The Second Half of Life: Weekly Summary. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved November 18, 2023, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/falling-upward-the-second-half-of-life-weekly-summary/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Always Pray and Do Not Lose Heart. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved November 18, 2023, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2023&date=nov18 

Wisdom, CHAPTER 19. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved November 18, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/wisdom/19