I have found that sometimes Jesus’ beautiful turn of phrase and lofty language masks what is actually a very simple point in His teaching. This week’s Gospel tells the story of a wicked judge who doesn’t have any integrity and doesn’t care about the people over whom he has authority. But even in his wickedness he doesn’t want to anger a persistent older woman for fear of invoking her wrath. If you boil this story down to its essential elements it comes out to a fairly simple lesson: irritate God into doing what you want Him to.

Obviously, that’s a little oversimplified, but if we don’t take to heart the important lessons at the core of this Gospel, then we will miss out on untold graces that we could have had if we were more persistent in prayer. The cynical culture in which we live often accuses believers of only turning to prayer when we want something,
and that accusation sometimes rings true. The best response to such stereotypes of
Christians only praying in times of great need is to build up a consistent prayer life until we find ourselves in constant communication with God.
 
Jesus urges us to pray unceasingly not only because He wants to answer our prayers
oftentimes more than we are willing to ask, but also so that our hearts can be changed and opened to receive His will. The more we bring our needs to God, the more we are willing to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him even in those times when we don’t understand where He is leading us.

St. Josemaria Escriva, a true master of the interior life, once encouraged one of his spiritual children to pray the rosary as a means to grow closer to God. “The Rosary is most effective for those who use their intelligence and their study as a weapon. Because that apparently monotonous way of beseeching Our Lady as children do their Mother, can destroy every seed of vainglory and pride.”
 
At those times when prayer seems repetitive or monotonous, God is still working in our hearts, chipping away at our pride and other obstacles that stand in the way of the gifts He wants us to receive. Jesus tells us to be persistent in prayer, so let that be our focus in the coming weeks. If we renew our commitments to focusing on God in prayer, our efforts, like those of the persistent widow, will always be rewarded.
May God stir up in our hearts a desire to turn to Him at all times, and may we always follow the promptings and urgings of the Holy Spirit.
 
Prayers always,
Fr. McC