THE WORD
FIRST READING: Ex 17,8-13
Then Amalek came and waged war against Israel in Rephidim. So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some men for us, and tomorrow go out and engage Amalek in battle. I will be standing on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” Joshua did as Moses told him: he engaged Amalek in battle while Moses, Aaron, and Hur climbed to the top of the hill. As long as Moses kept his hands raised up, Israel had the better of the fight, but when he let his hands rest, Amalek had the better of the fight. Moses’ hands, however, grew tired; so they took a rock and put it under him and he sat on it. Meanwhile Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other, so that his hands remained steady until sunset. And Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the sword.
SECOND READING: 2 Tim 3,14-4,2
Beloved:
Remain faithful to what you have learned and believed, because you know from whom you learned it, and that from infancy you have known [the] sacred scriptures, which are capable of giving you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that one who belongs to God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingly power: proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.
GOSPEL: Lk 18,1-8
Jesus told his disciples a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary. He said, “There was a judge in a certain town who neither feared God nor respected any human being. And a widow in that town used to come to him and say, ‘Render a just decision for me against my adversary.’ For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought, ‘While it is true that
I neither fear God nor respect any human being, because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me.’”
The Lord said, “Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says. Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them? I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
IN OTHER WORDS
St. Therese of the Child Jesus, the Patroness of Mission, once said in her native tongue, “Il vaux mieux parler a Dieu, que de parler de Dieu.” (It is better to talk to God, than to talk about God.)
The World Mission Sunday’s liturgical readings remind us of the importance of persevering prayer. Aside from today’s biblical text, we know of another that talks about Jesus teaching his disciples how to pray. Being always with the Lord, the twelve knew that their master spent a lot of time in prayer, just like a pious Jew would. What made it more surprisingly interesting for them was Jesus addressing God as Father.
When they asked him how they should pray, Jesus taught them the Lord’s prayer. He emphasized that they should say “Our Father”. Though nobody suggested that it would sound better to use the more personal “My Father”, they understood that it was not the right way to do it. We should also understand that we became children of God through Jesus. God became our Father through Jesus.
Separate from Jesus, we cannot call God as “my” Father. We say “Our” Father because we invoke God’s name always WITH Jesus.
I have always been experiencing the presence of God and the power of prayer ever since I was a young boy. After the death of my father in 1977, I got very sick. My mother thought I would also die.
From my bed, I saw her fervently praying the rosary. Several years later, the situation was reversed.
It was me praying for my mother’s healing with a promise that I would do everything for Him in return. When I entered the seminary, the fulfillment of a promise long forgotten came to mind.
When I was assigned in the Democratic Republic of Congo, I also experienced God’s intimate and consoling presence. I left my comfort zone then and let go of many things I held dear, now lifting up everything unto His hands. It was when I felt I had everything. In times of diffi culties, challenges, anxieties and danger, moments when I was pleading for Him, He was there. When I was interceding for the people entrusted to my care, He did not fail me.
Now that I am journeying with the Filipino migrants in Madrid (Spain), I am more con dent not only with the God who listens, but with people, like Aaron and Hur, who give support. There are countless testimonies about the power of prayer. The stories about Moses in the first reading and the widow in the Gospel will continue to remind and inspire us to talk not only about God but to talk to God.
- Fr. Redz Domino, SVD | Madrid, Spain
The Word in other words 2016
An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.
