October 19, 2025 - 29th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells a parable that could hardly be more relevant for anyone who has ever grown weary in prayer. A widow, powerless in the eyes of society, keeps pestering an unjust judge to grant her justice. Though he “neither fears God nor respects any human being,” he finally gives in—not out of goodness, but because she will not stop coming. Jesus then turns to His disciples and asks, “When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” This is not merely a story about persistence; it’s about faith that refuses to die. The widow’s insistence reveals a heart convinced that her cause is just and that her voice matters. Likewise, Jesus calls His disciples to pray with that same relentless trust in God—trust that may not always see immediate results, but never doubts that God hears.
We see that same dynamic in the first reading. As long as Moses keeps his arms raised in prayer, Israel prevails against the Amalekites. But when his arms grow tired, Amalek gains ground. Moses needs Aaron and Hur to support him, literally holding up his hands until the victory is won. It’s a vivid picture of how prayer often works in our lives and in our Church: perseverance, community, and faith sustain us when our strength fails.
The second reading adds a further dimension. Paul, near the end of his life, urges Timothy to “remain faithful” and to “proclaim the word in season and out of season.” Prayer must lead to proclamation. The word we have heard and cherished in the quiet of our hearts must shape our speech and action, especially when it is inconvenient or unpopular. As someone said: “Faith is not about being popular, but about being faithful.”
Together, these readings remind us that prayer is not magic, nor is it a quick fix. It is a posture of fidelity. To pray is to stand—like Moses, like the widow, like Paul—in the stubborn conviction that God’s justice will prevail, even when the world seems unmoved. So when our arms grow heavy, when our words feel empty, when our hearts falter, let us remember that the Lord is our help and our guardian. Our persistence in prayer is not about changing God’s mind; it is about transforming our hearts to trust Him more deeply. When the Son of Man comes, may He find in us that kind of faith?, faith that prays always and never loses heart?
God bless everyone always!!!
Fr. Stan
