Exodus 17:8-13 / 2 Timothy 3:14-4:2 / Luke 18:1-8
Synopsis of the Readings
My dear people of God, today’s readings speak with one voice about the
importance of perseverance in prayer. In the first reading, Moses intercedes
for Israel with uplifted arms until victory is secured. In the second reading,
Paul urges Timothy to stay firm in the Word of God, which guides and
strengthens every believer. In the Gospel, Jesus tells the parable of the
persistent widow who wins justice through her tireless pleading. Together,
these readings remind us that prayer, faith, and perseverance are
inseparable. When we pray with trust and patience, God’s grace works in
ways we may not immediately see, but always for our good.
My brothers and sisters in Christ, the first reading from Exodus
presents us with the story of Moses with his arms lifted in prayer,
which is one of the most striking images in the Old Testament. While Joshua
fought the Amalekites on the battlefield, Moses prayed on a hilltop with the
staff of God in his hands. His raised hands were not a magical sign; they were
a visible expression of total dependence on God. As long as his arms were
raised, Israel had the upper hand. But when he grew weary and his arms
dropped, the enemy prevailed.
What a powerful image of our own struggles in life. Sometimes our “arms of
faith” grow tired. Our prayers seem unanswered, our hope begins to fade,
and we feel like giving up. But Moses did not stand alone. Aaron and Hur
came to his side, gave him a stone to sit on, and held up his arms until sunset.
This shows us that prayer is not a solitary act; it is something we do together.
When one person’s faith grows weak, others must stand beside them. St John
1Chrysostom once said that when believers join their hearts in prayer, their
petitions rise before God like incense of great power (Homilies on 1 Timothy,
Hom. 6). God listens to the united faith of his people.
In Ghana, I once heard of a farming community that faced a terrible drought.
Instead of despairing, the people organised a prayer chain. Day and night,
someone was always in the church praying for rain. After weeks of
persistence, the clouds gathered and the rains finally came. In Germany, a
small parish prayer group continued meeting every week for years, even
when few people attended. Gradually, their parish came alive again with new
vocations and stronger faith. These examples remind us that perseverance in
prayer brings God’s blessings, even when the outcome is delayed.
Dearly beloved, in the second reading from 2 Timothy, Saint Paul
writes with the tenderness of a father to his spiritual son,
Timothy. He tells him to remain faithful to what he has learned from the
sacred Scriptures, because these writings are “inspired by God.” The Greek
word used for “inspired by God” (theopneustos) means “God-breathed.”
This means that Scripture carries the very breath of God. When we listen to
it, we are breathing in the divine life that forms and strengthens us. Paul
urges Timothy to proclaim this Word “whether convenient or inconvenient.”
In other words, we must live and share the truth even when it is difficult, even
when the world mocks or rejects it. God’s Word is not to be changed to suit
the times; rather, it is the unchanging truth that shapes the times.
We can see this lived out today. In Accra, a teacher once refused to alter a
student’s grades, though it cost her favour with her superiors. She said that
her strength came from reading Scripture every morning. In London, a
young man who began reading one Gospel chapter each day found his life
and relationships transformed. In Australia, a parish priest preached
faithfully for years to a dwindling congregation, convinced that truth must
be proclaimed whether or not people applauded. In the end, his faithfulness
drew others back to God.
St Jerome once said, “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ”
(Commentary on Isaiah, Prologue). If we want to know Christ and remain
2firm in faith, we must be men and women of the Word. Scripture is our
compass when life confuses us, our comfort when the world disappoints us,
and our strength when the battle grows long.
My dear people of God, in the Gospel today, Jesus gives us a
parable that every Christian should keep close to the heart. It is the
story of a widow who never gave up. In the time of Jesus, widows were among
the most helpless in society. Without a husband or son to speak for her, she
had no legal standing. Yet she refused to be silenced. She kept going to a
judge who neither feared God nor respected people, demanding justice. At
first, he ignored her, but finally, he gave in—simply because he was tired of
her persistence.
Jesus tells this story not to compare God to an unjust judge, but to show us
the power of perseverance. If even a corrupt man can respond to persistence,
how much more will a loving God hear the prayers of his children? The Greek
word used for “lose heart” (ekkakein) means to grow weary or faint. Jesus is
telling us never to let our faith faint, even when answers seem delayed. Prayer
does not change God; it changes us. It deepens our trust, purifies our desires,
and aligns our hearts with his will. St Augustine explained it beautifully:
“God delays, not to deny us, but to increase our capacity to receive” (Letter
130 to Proba). Sometimes, God allows us to wait so that our faith may grow
stronger, our patience deeper, and our gratitude fuller when the answer
finally comes.
There is no better example of this than Saint Monica, the mother of Saint
Augustine. For seventeen long years she prayed for her son, who had
abandoned the faith and was living a sinful life. She never gave up. Her tears
and prayers finally bore fruit when Augustine converted and became one of
the greatest saints and teachers of the Church. Monica’s persistence was her
victory.
We can see similar stories even today. In the United States, a group of
Christians prayed peacefully for decades for the closure of an abortion clinic.
Their prayers were finally answered when the clinic closed and was turned
into a centre that supports mothers and children. In Kumasi, a mother
3prayed daily for her son who had fallen into drug abuse. Years later, he
returned home, healed and renewed, and today serves as a catechist. God
may seem slow to act, but he is never deaf to the cry of the faithful.
At the end of the parable, Jesus asks, “When the Son of Man comes, will he
find faith on earth?” This is not a question of curiosity but of challenge. Will
he find in us a faith that refuses to give up? Faith that prays even when
heaven is silent? That is the kind of faith that moves mountains and
transforms hearts.
Lessons from the Readings
My brothers and sisters, today’s readings remind us that prayer must be
persistent, faith must be firm, and Scripture must be our guide. Like Moses,
we must keep praying, and when we grow weary, let others hold up our arms.
Like Timothy, we must remain rooted in the Word that gives life. Like the
widow and Saint Monica, we must never stop trusting that God’s justice will
come, even if it delays. Prayer does not always change the situation
immediately, but it always changes the heart of the one who prays. So let us
pray with faith, persevere with patience, and trust that our loving Father will
answer in his perfect time.
