Homily – 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

This Sunday’s Gospel is taken from Luke 18:1-8.  The passage narrates Jesus’ imploring his disciples to pray continually and never lose heart!  The parable that follows the instruction to pray is actually about justice not prayer.  The conclusion that Luke makes is that “God will see justice done to his chosen who cry out to him day and night even when he delays to help them?”

To pray continually seems to be a big ask.  Human beings generally find it difficult to do anything continually.  Don’t we make all kinds of resolutions about how we will commit to certain things.  We tell ourselves that we will exercise regularly or that we will eat healthier food more often or that we will keep in contact with our sick or ageing family and friends.  And we often find that we fall short of our resolutions despite our best intentions.  Praying regularly can fall into this category too.

Yet, on the other hand, there are things that we can do continually.  These can perhaps give us some clues as to what this gospel might mean.  A mother for instance can love her baby continually.  Even when she is exhausted from lack of sleep and out of touch with friends and work colleagues, a mother will love her child.  There is no question that she would want it any other way – despite the sacrifices.  And even when she takes a break and receives some welcome help, she does not stop loving her child.  The same can be said for husband and wife.  They can love each other continually: in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health.  The witness of older couples caring for each other in sickness and aging is an inspiring example of continuous love.  We also see teachers who love their students and never give up on them.  They encourage and coach them to achieve their best.  We see health care workers continually giving of themselves to improve the health and wellbeing of their patients.  These examples give us some understanding of what it means to be committed and to do something continually.

So is it possible to pray continually?  What would that look like?  To pray continually does not mean to be down on our knees twenty-four hours a day.  It does not mean that we have rosary beads or prayer books in our hands night and day.  It means however, that we live our lives in a spirit of openness to what God might be asking of us.  That does mean we might still ourselves each day and reflect on the words of Scripture or some spiritual writing.  It might mean that we are open to listening to the stirrings of God in our hearts and minds.  It means that we will look on each and every person who we meet as someone made in the image and likeness of God.  It means that we try to live our lives in empathy and compassion to others.  And in the gospel passage today it would appear that praying continually means that we will have a heart for justice.  We will not be satisfied while injustices continue to exist in our world.

It is no wonder that Jesus implores his disciples to pray continually and never lose heart.  When we open up this phrase, we can see that there are so many ways that our world is in need of the healing and uplifting hand of God.  To be continually attuned to that in whatever way we can is also to be at prayer.

By Fr Brendan Reed