Today's Gospel reminds us of the need to be persistent—some may see it as getting what you want by nagging long and hard enough. Luke presents the officious judge 'who does not fear God or has respect for humanity!' He is seen as totally self-sufficient, centring his whole life on himself. He is neither a man of faith, nor a lover of his community. The judge finds himself under the attention of the poor widow. She constantly came to him to seek justice—he was, after all the town's judge. For a long time, he resists her pleas, but, in the end, gives in. I suspect he is fearing for his own mental health, as he cannot endure this constant barrage any longer—even from his position of entitled arrogance.

However, this is not just a story about the judge and widow—it is a commentary on a positive relationship with God. 'Pray continually and never lose heart,' urges Jesus. He is pointing to a regular relationship and not just a 'one off special!' I remember a very old relative of mine telling me years ago, when I was a small child, that there were 'no atheists in the trenches of the Somme!' He recalled the constant prayers being uttered by soldiers facing death and disfigurement. If we are honest, such an attitude to prayer may be still common: we only turn to God in extreme circumstances, when we have exhausted every other possible avenue. I remember taking my course in Hospital Chaplaincy: we were told that the chaplain must not be the last resort!

Jesus tells us that we need a continuous relationship with God. Prayer helps us to understand what is important and essential in life: waking up in the morning, my prayer should reflect what is important in my life. Prayer is not a distraction from reality, rather true and continuous prayer helps us to ensure that reign of God is made visible 'on earth, as it is in heaven!'

As we grow in a spirit of true prayer, so we build up a relationship of friendship with God. We are not like the nagging widow, nor do we ignore reality, like the judge. I suspect that one of the positive benefits of the pandemic lockdown, is that many were able to rediscover the strength of prayer. It was like a giant pause button was pushed, and we were able to see what was important in life.

Persistence in prayer is not to be understood as trying to change God's mind, as if God was unwilling to help us in the first place. It is we who need to change, as Jesus prayed in the Garden on the night before his death, 'not my will but yours be done." His will is our peace. His Garden is our delight. His death on the cross is his gift of faith and a love that heals and saves us all. It is not easy to maintain one's calm in a restless, unhappy world, or to be patient in a world gone mad with constant changes. We need to know how to pray amidst the incessant noise and clamour of modern life. Prayer is the answer, yet what is prayer that makes it the answer? Prayer is simple, it is the gift of a person, the gift of Christ Jesus Himself. His presence is a melding of hearts, the sharing of life and love, its thoughtfulness and mutual forgiveness.

Sometimes his words are spoken aloud, and sometimes with the silence of tears, but always, always he is present with us.

As we grow in a life of prayer, it is good to look to those mystics, although far from perfect, who have helped us see prayer as a living relationship with God. The reflections of Thomas Merton, who was all too human, can help us. He realises that the Christian life is one of taking risks—enjoy taking some risks this coming week:

It's a risky thing to pray and the danger is that our very prayers get between God and us. The great thing in prayer is not to pray, but to go directly to God… The fact is, though, that if you descend into the depths of your own spirit and arrive somewhere near the centre of what you are, you are confronted with the inescapable truth that, at the very root of your existence, you are in constant and immediate contact with the infinite power of God.

Author: Fr Gerry O'Shaughnessy SDB

Photo by Ian Stauffer on Unsplash