My dear sisters and brothers in Christ . Today’s readings, like a spiritual three-strand rope, bind us to one essential truth. We hear of M...
My dear sisters and brothers in Christ. Today’s readings, like a spiritual three-strand rope, bind us to one essential truth. We hear of Moses, whose hands determined the battle; we hear the assurance of the Lord who is our tireless Guardian; and we hear the bold, unrelenting appeal of a poor widow to a judge who does not fear God.
Jesus tells us this parable "to show them that they should always pray and not give up." The message for us, for the Church, and especially for the Filipino people today, is distilled into three powerful words, all starting with the letter P: Persistence, Prayer, and Protection.
Persistence: The Measure of Our Faith
We, the Filipino people, are a people of deep faith, yet we are also a people acquainted with struggle. We see the daily exhaustion—the grueling commutes, the relentless chase for a living wage, the battles against injustice, corruption, and the lingering scars of calamities. Sometimes, it feels like our hands, like Moses' hands, are just too heavy to hold up any longer.
But the Christian life is not a sprint; it is an endurance race.
I challenge you: Is your faith a weekend visit or a 24/7 commitment?
Persistence is the practical act of faith. It’s what you do when you are tired of doing good. It’s the widow knocking on the door one more time. It’s the lesson from Exodus: victory requires not just a beginning, but a sustained posture of reliance on God. You may be exhausted, but you are not meant to fight this battle alone. Find your Aaron and Hur—the friends, the community, the family—who will hold up your arms in prayer when you can no longer do it yourself.
Prayer: Our Weapon Against Weariness
Our Second Reading commands us: "Proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient." The inconvenient truth is that in times of crisis, we often mistake anxiety for prayer. We worry, we complain, we scroll, but do we truly PRAY?
Prayer is not a last resort; it is our first defense. It is the vital sign of a soul alive in Christ. Jesus promises the widow that God will "grant justice to his chosen ones who cry out to him day and night."
I challenge you: If the volume of your worry is louder than the volume of your prayers, are you truly trusting God or just trusting your own efforts?
Let us make our appeal relentless! Let us turn our complaints into cries of faith. This is not about feeling good; it's about re-orienting our powerlessness to the source of all power.
Protection: The Unwavering Promise
Why persist? Why pray? Because of the third word: Protection. The Psalmist assures us: "The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will guard your coming and your going both now and forever." Our God is the ever-vigilant Guardian who does not sleep.
In a country where stability can feel fragile, we must stand firm on this unshakeable promise. God’s ultimate Protection is not the absence of trouble, but the certainty of His presence in the trouble. It is the assurance that the justice we long for—for our families, for our nation, for the poor—is already secured in Christ.
I challenge you: Do you believe that God's justice is stronger than human corruption, or do you act as if the powerful on earth have the final say?
Let the persistent Prayer of the faithful be our national anthem. Let our Persistence be a scandal to those who would profit from our despair. Let us cling to the promise of God’s Protection, knowing that when we faithfully cry out, He will not delay!
So, go forth today. Hold up your hands like Moses, be relentless like the widow, and be assured of the Lord who watches over you. Be persistent in faith, persistent in love, and persistent in prayer, for your God is fighting for you. Amen.
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