Message of Abbot Paul - Saturday 13th November
Message from Fr Paul for Saturday, 13th November 2021
One of the key themes in the Gospels is the prayer of Jesus and his teaching on prayer. Prayer or communion with God is the most important activity of a Christian and all else derives from it. We see that clearly in the life of Jesus himself and in the lives of the saints. Although we tend to focus on what they did for the glory of God and the good of their neighbour, they all tell us that the source of their missionary, pastoral, charitable or intellectual endeavours was prayer and their life of intimate union with God and communion in prayer with their brothers and sisters in the Church. Jesus reveals his true identity to his disciples as Son of the living God in his own continuous communion with the Father in the Spirit. He constantly seeks solitude and silence to be alone with his heavenly Father. His disciples are more curious in that aspect of his life than in any other. They did not ask him, “Lord, show us how to work miracles,” but they did ask him, “Lord, teach us to pray.” Today’s Gospel passage from Luke, (Lk 18: 1-8), is a parable about perseverance in prayer. In fact, we are introduced to the parable of the unjust judge with these words, “Jesus told his disciples a parable about the need to pray continually and never lose heart.” Nothing could be clearer, to pray continually and not lose heart. Here is the complete parable.
“There was a judge in a certain town who had neither fear of God nor respect for man. In the same town there was a widow who kept on coming to him and saying, ’I want justice from you against my enemy!’ For a long time he refused, but at last he said to himself, ‘Maybe I have neither fear of God nor respect for man, but since she keeps pestering me I must give this widow her just rights, or she will persist in coming and worry me to death.‘ You notice what the unjust judge has to say? Now will not God see justice done to his chosen who cry to him day and night even when he delays to help them? I promise you, he will see justice done to them, and done speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find any faith on earth?”
Jesus is well aware that people often despair of God hearing their prayers. There are times when he appears not to listen. Here Jesus has in mind intercessory prayer, yet personal or contemplative prayer is often difficult too, and we feel that God is not listening. What’s probably happening is that we are not listening. We drown out the silence and tranquillity with our own thoughts and words, not giving God a chance to communicate with us. Jesus tells us to persevere and not to give up. Keep on praying. Remember what St Augustine said, that ”True prayer is the desire to pray.” We should keep that in mind. Longing and yearning for a deep prayer life is more than halfway there to obtaining it. This is why Jesus asks, “But when the Son of Man comes, will he find any faith on earth?” An essential part of prayer is perseverance: it is perseverance that leads to faith.
