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reading of the third letter of St John
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dearest gaes your behavior is very loyal
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acting like this with your brothers even
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if they are foreigners they bore witness
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to your charity before the church you
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will do well to provide for them for the
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journey in a manner worthy of God for
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for the sake of the name they undertook
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the journey without accepting anything
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from the pagans therefore it is up to us
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to welcome them to be collaborators with
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the truth word of the Lord thank
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God proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus
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Christ according to St Luke Glory To You
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Lord at that time Jesus told his
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disciples a parable to show them the
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need to always pray and never give up
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saying in a city there was a judge who
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did not fear God and did not respect any
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man in the same city there was a widow
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who came looking for the judge asking
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give me Justice against my adversary for
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a long time the judge refused finally he
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thought I don't fear God and I don't
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respect any man but this Widow is
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already bothering me me and the Lord the
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Lord added listen to what this unjust
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judge says and God will he not give
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Justice to his chosen ones who cry out
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for him day and night will it make them
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wait I tell you that God will give them
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Justice very quickly but when the son of
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man comes will he still find faith on
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the earth word of Salvation Glory To You
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dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ have
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you ever observed a young child asking
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for something they really want
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persistence is impressive isn't it she
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doesn't give up easily repeats the
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request uses different approaches and
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maintains her determination until she
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gets what she wants this image of
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childlike persistence helps us
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understand the essence of today's
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readings in St John's letter we find
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praise for hospitality and support for
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missionaries dearest you act Faithfully
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in everything you do for your brothers
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especially those who come from abroad
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what a beautiful statement John is
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recognizing not only the generosity but
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the faithfulness shown in caring for
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those who dedicate their lives to
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spreading the gospel think for a moment
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about what it means to be truly
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hospitable it's not just opening the
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door to our home but opening our heart
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it's not just offering a meal but
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sharing our own lives John is talking
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about a Hospitality that goes beyond the
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superficial gesture it is a deep
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commitment to God's Mission and why is
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this so important John gives us the
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answer for his name's sake they departed
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receiving nothing from the Gentiles
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these missionaries left everything for
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Christ they did not seek personal gain
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they did not expect material rewards his
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motivation was purely love for the name
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of Jesus this selfless dedication
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naturally leads us to today's Gospel
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where Jesus presents us with a parable
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of the persistent Widow imagine the
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scene a widow without power without
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influence facing an unjust judge in
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society at the time widows were often
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the most vulnerable and helpless people
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but this Widow had something
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extraordinary an unwavering
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determination Jesus tells us that the
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judge did not fear God nor respected man
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what a devastating description this is a
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man completely indifferent to Justice
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compassion moral values and yet the
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Widow's persistence overcomes him even
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though I do not fear God and respect no
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man he says I will do him justice so
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that he will not continue to bother me
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what a powerful lesson about persistence
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in prayer Jesus is telling us if even an
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unjust and insensitive judge can be
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moved by persistence how much more will
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our heavenly father who is perfectly
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just and loving answer the persistent
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prayers of his children but here's a
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crucial Point persistence in prayer is
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not a way to manipulate God or to bend
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his will to ours it is an expression of
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deep trust an acknowledgement of our
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total dependence on on him it's about
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keeping knocking on the door even when
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it seems like no one is listening keep
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searching even when the answer seems
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distant how does this connect to the
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first reading the hospitality mentioned
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by John and the persistence in prayer
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described by Jesus are two sides of the
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same coin both are expressions of
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faithfulness Hospitality demonstrates
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faithfulness in caring for others
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persistence in prayer demonstrates
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Fidelity in our relationship with God
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and and just as the missionaries
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mentioned by John left for the love of
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the name our persistence in prayer must
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be motivated by the same love we pray
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persistently not because we want to
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manipulate God but because we love and
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trust him completely John tells us that
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we must welcome such people so that we
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may become co-workers with the truth
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likewise when we persist in prayer we
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become co-workers with God in his work
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our persistence is not just for our
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personal benefit but for the advancement
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of the kingdom of God so what do these
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readings mean for us today first we are
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called to be people of radical
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Hospitality in an increasingly closed
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and individualistic World our openness
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to others especially those who work for
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the kingdom is a powerful testimony to
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the love of Christ second we are
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challenged to be people of persistent
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prayer in a world of instant
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gratification and quick fixes
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persistence in prayer is a revolutionary
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Act of Faith third we are invited to
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motivations why are we generous why do
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we pray is it for the love of the name
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like the missionaries in the first
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reading or for less noble reasons fourth
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we are encouraged not to give up if a
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destitute Widow could obtain Justice
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from an unjust judge through persistence
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how much more can we trust trust that
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our loving father will hear our prayers
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imagine the impact on our lives and our
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community if we fully live these truths
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if each of us were known for our
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generous hospitality and our unwavering
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persistence in prayer how our families
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would be transformed how our church
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would be strengthened how powerful Our
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Testimony would be my dear brothers and
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sisters may we be inspired by the
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generosity of those first Christians who
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welcomed the missionaries and by the
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Persistence of the Widow who did not
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give up Seeking Justice May our
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Hospitality be a reflection of the love
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of Christ and may our persistence in
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prayer be a testimony of our unshakable
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trust in God and when Jesus asks as he
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does at the end of today's Gospel but
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when the son of man comes will he find
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faith on the earth May our answer be a
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resounding yes demonstrated not only in
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words but in actions of generous
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hospitality and persevering prayer may
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the Lord bless us with generous hearts
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and persevering Spirits for his glory
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and the advancement of his kingdom
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amen St Michael the Archangel defend Us
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in battle be our protection against the
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wickedness and snares of the devil may
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God rebuke him we humbly pray and do
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thou o Prince of the Heavenly Host by
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the power of God cast into hell Satan
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and all the evil spirits who prowl
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throughout the world seeking the ruin of
