Not to lose heart

“Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. “ (Luke 18:1)

Luke 18:1-8   (Year C: The Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity / 29^th Sunday in Ordinary Time, 20^th October, 2019)

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AN OVERVIEW OF THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS

COI	RC
Genesis 32: 22–31	Exodus 17:8-13
Psalm 121	Psalm 121
2 Timothy 3: 14-4: 5	2 Timothy 3: 14-4: 5
Luke 18:1-8	Luke 18:1-8

There are no parallel Gospel readings to the above passage from Luke.

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SERMON NOTES (1,233 words)

Praying – what is the point?

Why do we pray? Christians are accustomed to praying for the world, the church and others. Here in Ireland we have been accustomed to prayers for diverse subjects ranging from peace, social justice, action to address climate change and, of course, Brexit. Does God ever listen? And what is the point of praying if God is all knowing and all powerful?

A natural thirst

These days, praying is rarely if ever listed under ‘hobbies and activities’ at the bottom of someone’s CV. Yoga, meditation or something similar might very well feature. Somehow praying, going to Church and related matters is spoken about as a very ‘private’ matter and, in many cases, not something to be flaunted or, worse still, pushed upon others. Yet, the periodic special novenas and similar events attract huge numbers in various parts of this country. Young and old (although in all likelihood proportionately more of the latter) soak in the atmosphere, togetherness, sacredness, humaness and comfort from pouring out one’s soul with others or, indeed, to another in the context of spiritual friendship or sacramental reconciliation (‘confession’). Old habits die hard and even when new forms of spirituality arise along with re-discoveries of ancient wisdom from the East many people still cling to the traditional and the familiar especially (but not exclusively) at times of personal or community crisis.

The story of the widow and the ‘unjust’ judge found in the gospel of Luke reminds us that human need pushes many to ask and to ask again.  Luke inserts an explanation as he recounts the story from Jesus:

Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart.(V.1)

Losing heart can happen at any time in life as we struggle with various challenges. To keep heart even through the most difficult of times is a blessing. It is possible. Temperament, upbringing and circumstances outside our control can have a major impact on our behaviour and thinking. However, we also have freedom and choice to modify our outlook and actions. By feeding on positive thoughts we can, with God’s help, move into a space where we keep going, keep hoping, keep trying and staying of good heart.

Prayer, or should I say prayerfulness, is key to this.  Prayer is the means by which we can rest our cares with Another and, at the same time, find the courage and strength to keep going on.  Prayer is more than persistent asking and begging as the widow in today’s story adopted. She did not give up on the first refusal. We, too, can keep asking for that grace, that peace, that strength to deal with a difficult situation. The ‘Serenity Prayer’ is well known to many:

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.

The evangelist, Luke, is strong in his emphasis on prayer and the work of the Holy Spirit. In relation to prayer there are many, many references including those in the following specially composed list (courtesy of Lectio Divina – Order of Carmelites)

Lk 2:46-50: When he is twelve, he goes to the Temple, his Father’s house
Lk 3:21: He prays at his baptism and when he takes on his mission
Lk 4:1-2: At the beginning of his mission he spends forty days in the desert
Lk 4:3-12: When he is tempted, he faces the devil with texts from Scripture
Lk 4:16: On Saturdays, Jesus goes to celebrate in the synagogue
Lk 5:16; 9:18: He seeks solitude in the desert to pray
Lk 6:12: He spends the night in prayer before choosing the Apostles
Lk 9:16; 24:30: He prays before meals
Lk 9:18: He prays before speaking of his passion
Lk 9:28: In a crisis, on the Mountain to pray, he is transfigured during prayer
Lk 10:21: When the Gospel is revealed to little ones he says: “Thank you, Father...”
Lk 11:1: As he prays, he inspires the apostles the desire to pray
Lk 22:32: He prays for Peter, that he may have faith
Lk 22:7-14: He celebrates the Paschal meal with his disciples
Lk 22:41-42: He prays and sweats blood in the Garden of Olives
Lk 22:40-46: In his agony, he asks his friends to pray with him
Lk 23:34: When he was being nailed to the cross, he asks pardon for his torturers
Lk 23:46; Ps 31:6: At the moment of death he says: “Into your hands I commend my spirit”
Lk 23:46: Jesus dies with the cry of the poor on his lips

And if that is not enough consider the list at the end of this blog (without the hyperlinks) from Acts. The Acts of Apostles is thought to have been written by Luke.

Jesus is presented in Luke at prayer sometimes alone but often with others and for others.  Prayer is the oxygen by which he lives in communion with his Father. At the heart of this is the Holy Spirit – that love which circulates between Father and Son and spills out into the world continually seeking to bring all things and all peoples into communion.

A practical guide

We do well to pray often and especially early and late each day since prayer is the bolt of the night and the key to the day. It might be best for us to seek out a regular quiet place and time each day alone or with others. Perhaps a sentence or two of scripture might suffice to feed our minds and hearts for 5 or 10 minutes at first (and a bit more if possible).

No analysis.
No commentary.
No busy ‘chatting’.

Just relax there for a while in silence slowly letting the words gently still your heart and mind (some Christians find it useful to use a lit candle, or open book of scriptures, or gazed at an icon or the reserved sacrament of the sick since we are all in need of healing in some way). It might be that a spontaneous prayer of praise or thanksgiving or request rises up. We should neither force anything or resist anything. We may discern the Holy Spirit at work and we ought not be afraid to share some of this experience with a wise and trusted ‘soul-friend’ – when appropriate. This spells the potential for growth – human and sacred – because we are sacred and precious just like that widow who never lost persistence. We can take this very Ignatian line to heart:

pray as if everything depends on God, work as if everything depends on you …

If we sense the presence of God ‘where two or three are gathered’ whether that be in a pub, a church, a kitchen, a factory or the village green then we are already at the threshold of prayerfulness.  Life is a flow of action and prayerfulness and our times of specially dedicated prayer are all the richer and fruitful for that no matter how we might feel at the time. The way ahead may be unclear and frightening but fortified with a mustard seed of faith, the discipline of quiet prayer and a word of scripture we can face each day with courage and love.  And Love will find faith on the earth (verse 8). We need go no further than our very own hearts. That is where prayer begins.

Postscript

References to prayer in the Acts of the Apostles

Act 1:14: The community perseveres in prayer with Mary, the mother of Jesus
Act 1:24: The community prays so as to know who will take the place of Judas
Act 2:25-35: Peter quotes from the Psalms in his homily
Act 2:42: The first Christians are faithful in prayer
Act 2:46-47: They go to the temple to praise God
Act 3:1: Peter and John go to the temple to pray at the ninth hour
Act 3:8: The healed lame man praises God
Act 4:23-31: The community prays under persecution
Act 5:12: The first Christians stay at Solomon’s gate (temple)
Act 6:4: The apostles devote themselves to prayer and the service of the word
Act 6:6: They pray before imposing hands on the deacons
Act 7:59: When he is dying, Stephen prays: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit”
Act 7:60: Then Stephen prays: “Lord, do not hold this sin against them”
Act 8:15: Peter and John pray that the converts may receive the Holy Spirit
Act 8:22: The sinner is told: Repent and pray that you may be forgiven
Act 8:24: Simon says: “Pray to the Lord for me yourselves so that none of the things you have spoken about may happen to me”
Act 9:11: Paul is praying
Act 9:40: Peter prays for the healing of Tabitha
Act 10:2: Cornelius prayed constantly to God
Act 10:4: Cornelius’ prayers are heard in heaven
Act 10:9: At the sixth hour, Peter prays on the roof of the house
Act 10:30-31: Cornelius prays at the ninth hour, and his prayer is heard
Act 11:5: Peter tells the people of Jerusalem: “I was praying”!
Act 12:5: The community prays when Peter is in jail
Act 12:12: Many people are gathered in prayer in Mary’s house
Act 13:2-3: The community prays and fasts before sending Paul and Barnabas
Act 13:48: The pagans rejoice and glorify the Word of God
Act 14:23: The missionaries pray to appoint the coordinators of the communities
Act 16:13: At Philippi, near the river, there is a place of prayer
Act 16:16: Paul and Silas were going to prayer
Act 16:25: At night, Paul and Silas sing and pray in prison
Act 18:9: Paul has a vision of the Lord at night
Act 19:18: Many confess their sins
Act 20:7: They met to break bread (the Eucharist)
Act 20:32: Paul commends to God the coordinators of the communities
Act 20:36: Paul prays on his knees with the coordinators of the communities
Act 21:5: They kneel on the shore to pray
Act 21:14: Before the inevitable, the people say: God’s will be done!
Act 21:20: They glorify God for all that Paul has done
Act 21:26: Paul goes to the temple to fulfil a promise
Act 22:17-21: Paul prays in the temple, he has a vision and speaks with God
Act 23:11: In the prison in Jerusalem, Paul has a vision of Jesus
Act 27:23ff: Paul has a vision of Jesus during the storm at sea
Act 27:35: Paul takes the bread, gives thanks to God before arriving in Malta
Act 28:8: Paul prays over Publius’ father who had a fever
Act 28:15: Paul gives thanks to God on seeing the brethren in Pozzuoli