💖 HOMILY - OCTOBER 12 💖

First Reading - Malachi 3:13-20

Gospel - Luke 11:5-13

We are in the world of technologies. It's our technology that makes our life easy and fast. Our requirements are fulfilled instantly through the means of technology. Today everything has become instant solution for us. In the midst of instant solution through technologies, we are invited by the readings of today to wear the virtue of persistence or endurance in our life of prayer.

The first reading deals with an age-long problem of evil. When the evil doers prosper like the righteous, a thought certainly occurs that of discouragement and sadness. The general understanding among the people of Israel was that it's the righteous who prosper because the blessings of God rest on them. However, at the return of the people from exile, they found that even the unrighteous and evil does are as prosperous as the righteous. This created a dichotomy in them and there arose a doubt; Why should they serve God if the unrighteous are also blessed by God? This problem is settled in the pericope of today. The prophet presents God as a just judge who never brooks evil. He adds that the end of the evil doers is certain because the judgement of God will fall upon them. He assures that the righteous are the special treasure of God who will always enjoy the favour of God.

The gospel recounts the importance of the virtue of persistence in prayer. Jesus puts it into a parable of an unexpected visit of a guest to his friend's house in the middle of the night. The story stresses on the persistence of the visited friend. The request of him to another friend is irking because that disturbs his household. However, at the background, there lies the importance of hospitality for a Jew. This is to say hospitality is considered to be one of the key virtues in Judaism. The persistence of the person to his friend for breads is to be considered in this background of hospitality.

Jesus takes this example to display the quality of persistence required from his disciples in prayer. What is this persistence? It's a virtue that impels a person to persevere in seeking what he/she wants. Jesus expects that this is the quality a believer is to have when coming to the Father in prayer.

The second part of the passage gives us assurance of the care God has for everyone, even if how wicked he/she is. God cares for everyone and expects that he/she should seek His help in prayer. Our seeking of help shows our disposition or humility before God. 

Dear friends, prayer is never to be taken as instant medicine for anything. It's our constant turning to God in persistence and humility. As the first reading suggests, our God is a just God, although presently seems to be absent but will surely answer our prayers. However, we are also given assurance that we need to ask Him or open our hearts to Him or express our desires to Him and He will certainly respond to our prayers.

We are not to expect prayers as machine that immediately responds to the command we give. It's a disposition of heart opened to God incessantly. It's a matter of patience and endurance in faith. Let's approach God in faith seeking His assistance in everything we do.