Dear Parishioners and Visitors,

If we wanted to summarize the Scriptures of this weekend’s liturgy in a single word, that word would be “persevere.”  Dictionary.com defines “persevere” as “to persist in anything undertaken; maintain a purpose in spite of difficulty, obstacles, or discouragement; continue steadfastly.”  Let’s take a look at how God’s Word teaches us to persevere this weekend:

In our first reading, from the book of Exodus, we see Moses persevering in prayer.  His assistants, Aaron and Hur, helped him in this by holding up his arms for him as he prayed.  In the meantime, Joshua also had to persevere: he had to keep his troops fighting against the army of Amalek, an enemy of the Chosen People.  In both cases, we see the importance of having others to help us when we struggle to persevere.  If there’s anything in your life that is challenging for you, don’t try to do it alone.  Get others to help you.

Then we hear St. Paul telling his friend and disciple Timothy to persevere in the faith, both in holding on to it and in giving it away.  “Remain faithful to what you have learned and believed,” he says at the beginning of our second reading.  And at the end of the same reading, he tells Timothy, “Proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.”  I think it’s clear that perseverance is crucial if Timothy is going to carry out Paul’s instructions.

In the Gospel, Jesus teaches perseverance in prayer by telling his disciples the parable of the persistent widow.  The widow received help from a judge because she simply would not stop asking for that help.  Then Jesus asks, “Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night?”  Of course, the answer to his question is a resounding “Yes!”

The message of God’s Word is clear, strong, and important for us.  Whatever it is that we are struggling to continue (as long as it’s good, of course), God is telling us to keep on keeping on.  We are not alone, and our perseverance will bring awesome results.  Ultimately, it will bring us to eternal life.

Blessings,

Fr. Philip