Pray Always and Never Lose Heart: A Mission of Hope

10-19-2025Weekly ReflectionFr. Albert

Today, World Mission Sunday, is the day set aside by the Catholic Church throughout the world to publicly renew its commitment to its universal mission, its calling to bring the Good news of Christ to the ends of the earth. The Second Vatican Council reminded us that mission is rooted in the nature of the Church; it is the reason for its existence. The church is the community of Christ's disciples called and sent to continue the Mission of Jesus in the world. Pope Leo invites us all to reflect together on our common baptismal call to be 'missionaries of hope among the peoples and to commit ourselves anew to the sweet and joyful task of bringing Christ Jesus our Hope to the ends of the earth.'

Praying is also the dominant theme of our Scripture readings today. In today's Gospel reading, Jesus encourages his disciples to persevere in prayer and not lose heart. Easier said than done, Jesus is referring especially to what we call 'prayer of petition'. it is perhaps the most common kind of prayer. When we bring our needs and the needs of others to our heavenly Father, we are responding to the explicit instruction of Jesus: 'Ask and it will be given you; seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you.

Jesus illustrates his message with a story about a corrupt judge and a poor widow, who pesters him day and night just to get what is hers by right. The judge eventually relents and accedes to her request, not because he has any concern for justice, but because he wants to be left in peace. Jesus is not comparing God to the corrupt judge, but contrasting them. What he is saying is that, if a corrupt and heartless judge is eventually moved to grant the plea of a persistent widow, how much more swiftly will our infinitely just and loving Father respond to the prayers of his beloved children?

The widow keeps knocking, keeps asking, and keeps pressing forward, until even an unjust judge finally gives in. Jesus tells us this parable as St. Luke says, '' to remind us that we should pray always and never lose heart''. The widow had no power, no influence, no wealth, no position. in her society, she was among the most vulnerable. Yet what she had was perseverance. she would not give up. and in the end, she wore down even a corrupt judge. Now if that is true with a human judge who has no care for God, how much more will our loving Father hear our cries? But sometimes, like the widow, we are called to be persistent, to not give up when prayers seem unanswered.

At the end of the Gospel, Jesus asks a piercing question; ''when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth? That is the real heart of the parable. Will He find people who keep trusting, who keep praying, who keep believing, even when life is hard and answers are slow. Let us hear Jesus' encouragement; Do not give up. Don't stop praying. if you have been praying for a child, a spouse, a friend - keep praying. If you have been praying for healing, keep praying. if you have been praying for guidance, for peace, for strength - keep praying. Be like the persistent widow. pray always and never lose heart. Because the God who loves us hears every prayer, treasures every tear, and in His time and His way, He will answer.