Exodus 17:8-13
Psalm: 121
Reading II:
2 Timothy 3:14-4:2
Gospel:
Luke 18:1-8
In today’s reading from Exodus, we have a beautiful story about Moses’ persistence in prayer. Amalek attacked Israel, so Moses told Joshua to gather a group of men and defend Israel from Amalek and his men. In the meantime, Moses climbed to the top of a hill with Aaron and Hur. As long as Moses kept his hands raised in prayer, Israel was winning the fight.
However, Moses’ hands became tired, so they put a rock in place for him to sit. Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on each side. With that help Moses was able to keep his hands raised and Israel won the battle.
This is a wonderful illustration of how we are able to persist in prayer with the help of others. Most likely when Moses was praying, he was not only asking for help with the battle, but also offering praise and thanks to God for all His blessings.
God wants us, like beloved children, to tell him how we feel and what we want. However, God knows what is best for us. In prayer, our purpose is not to control God, but rather to keep up communication with Him, and thus, deepen our relationship with Him.
In the Gospel, Jesus tells a parable (story to teach a lesson) about the importance of praying always. He describes a widow who approached a judge asking him to render a decision in her favor. He kept putting her off for a long while. However, because she persisted in making her request, the unjust
judge gave into her because she might do him some harm if he did not grant her request.
On the other hand, God is faithful and just, and He will respond to our requests in the way that is best for us. On our part, we need to trust that he knows us better than we know ourselves. One of my favorite prayers is: Into your loving hands, I commend myself and my loved ones. Another is from the Chaplet of Divine Mercy: “For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.”
Reflection Question: How can I make my prayer a frequent, loving conversation with God, rather than just a time to ask for favors?
Spanish Translation of Reflection Above...
Persistencia en la Oración
Sin embargo, las manos de Moisés se cansaron, por lo que le pusieron una piedra para que se sentara. Aaron y Hur apoyaron sus manos, una a cada lado. Con esa ayuda, Moisés pudo mantener sus manos levantadas e Israel ganó la batalla.
Esta es una ilustración maravillosa de cómo podemos persistir en la oración con la ayuda de otros. Lo más probable es que cuando Moisés estaba orando, no solo estaba pidiendo ayuda con la batalla, sino también ofreciendo alabanzas y gracias a Dios por todas sus bendiciones.
Dios quiere que nosotros, como hijos amados, le digamos cómo nos sentimos y qué queremos. Sin embargo, Dios sabe lo que es mejor para nosotros. En la oración, nuestro propósito no es controlar a Dios, sino mantener la comunicación con Él, y así profundizar nuestra relación con Él.
En el Evangelio, Jesús cuenta una parábola (historia para enseñar una lección) sobre la importancia de orar siempre. Describe a una viuda que se acercó a un juez y le pidió que tomara una decisión a su favor. Siguió posponiéndola durante mucho tiempo. Sin embargo, debido a que ella persistió en hacer su pedido, lo injusto el juez se entregó a ella porque podría hacerle algún daño si él no le concedía su pedido.
Por otro lado, Dios es fiel y justo, y responderá a nuestras solicitudes de la mejor manera para nosotros. Por nuestra parte, debemos confiar en que él nos conoce mejor que nosotros mismos. Una de mis oraciones favoritas es: En tus manos amorosas, me encomiendo a mí y a mis seres queridos. Otro es de la Coronilla de la Divina Misericordia: “Por el bien de su dolorosa pasión, ten piedad de nosotros y del mundo entero”.
Pregunta de Reflexión: ¿Cómo puedo hacer de mi oración una conversación frecuente y amorosa con Dios, en lugar de solo un momento para pedir favores?
Comments:
Stephanie Morris, Ph. D, Historian, Certified Archivist, emerita
If we say
the “Morning Offering,” then everything we do or say during the day is offered
to God. We don’t have to say the Rosary
as we walk up and down the aisles in the grocery store, but we can thank God
for the farmers who provided the food. After we buy the food and are walking
to our car, we can simply say “Thank you that I could buy this food.” If we
recall that God is constantly with us,
and that we are in His presence at all times, prayer does not have to be
formal. We are chatting with a dear
Friend, our Protector, our Savior. We can be ourselves and speak frankly (He
has heard worse!). As a young woman, St.
Katharine reminded herself to say a prayer whenever a clock struck. Prayer can
be a spontaneous act, like the “growth of a flower, the singing of a bird.”
Make up your own song and sing it spontaneously to God.
Pat Chiaffa, ASBS
Sr. Annette,
The words of your favorite prayer, “Into your loving
hands…,” transport me to San Alfonso Retreat Center, located in Long Branch,
New Jersey. Situated on the beach is a large crucifix that bears the crucified
body of Christ. The cross stands between two large stone monuments that bear
the words of our beloved Savior, “Into Your hands, I commend my Spirit.” The
backdrop of this poignant memorial is ocean and sky, which naturally calls one to
reverence and awe.
My prayer, all too often, has been a monologue where I talk,
hope that God is listening and impatiently await Him to deliver on my requests. This approach never resulted in a
deepened relationship with God.
The following excerpt, from an online article in Guideposts
(https://www.guideposts.org/faith-and-prayer/prayer-stories/pray-effectively/5-ways-to-make-your-prayers-a-conversation-with-god),
suggests five steps that contribute to developing a loving, trusting
relationship with God.
1. Listen
If your prayer time is just talk, talk, talk, you’re unlikely to hear God’s voice. But if you spend some time in silence, you might be surprised at what you hear God say.
If your prayer time is just talk, talk, talk, you’re unlikely to hear God’s voice. But if you spend some time in silence, you might be surprised at what you hear God say.
2. Journal
Writing your prayers transforms them. The act of writing slows you down and allows more room for reflection. You can also look back at what you have prayed in the past and see when and how God has answered.
Writing your prayers transforms them. The act of writing slows you down and allows more room for reflection. You can also look back at what you have prayed in the past and see when and how God has answered.
3. Read
One of the main ways God speaks in prayer is through reading—but not just any kind of reading. I have learned to read the Bible more slowly and thoughtfully when I pray than at other times. I have also learned that certain books—such as A. W. Tozer’s The Pursuit of God and Teresa of Avila’s The Way of Perfection—foster interior conversations between God and me.
One of the main ways God speaks in prayer is through reading—but not just any kind of reading. I have learned to read the Bible more slowly and thoughtfully when I pray than at other times. I have also learned that certain books—such as A. W. Tozer’s The Pursuit of God and Teresa of Avila’s The Way of Perfection—foster interior conversations between God and me.
4. Ask Questions
Few people ask God questions in prayer, maybe because they don’t intend (or know how) to wait for an answer. But asking questions—whether aloud or in writing—is one of the best ways to cultivate a conversation. You might ask things like, “Where are you leading me today?” or “What would you like to bring to my attention right now?”
Few people ask God questions in prayer, maybe because they don’t intend (or know how) to wait for an answer. But asking questions—whether aloud or in writing—is one of the best ways to cultivate a conversation. You might ask things like, “Where are you leading me today?” or “What would you like to bring to my attention right now?”
5. Wait
King David once wrote, “In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly” (Psalm 5:3, NIV). That’s a key to dialogue in prayer—waiting expectantly. Too often we lay our requests before God and then rush off to our next appointment or task. But dialogue includes waiting expectantly—giving God space to respond, listening for His voice, hoping for His answer.
King David once wrote, “In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly” (Psalm 5:3, NIV). That’s a key to dialogue in prayer—waiting expectantly. Too often we lay our requests before God and then rush off to our next appointment or task. But dialogue includes waiting expectantly—giving God space to respond, listening for His voice, hoping for His answer.
New to me is step 4 – asking questions. I really like
incorporating inquiry into prayer. I find myself being more present to my daily
activities as I intentionally seek to be aware of possible responses. Engaging these steps naturally slows us down,
leads us into a more mindful state of being in which we get in touch with our
soul, with our true longings.
I recently returned from a retreat at San Alfonso. The theme
of the weekend was “A Call to Holiness.” Throughout the conferences and
integrated into communal prayer was the reflective question, “Am I becoming the
person God created me to be?” It is a good question to add to step four.
“Make me to
know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths.” Psalm 25:4
