29TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME C

PRAYER AS A SIGN OF FAITH

Last week, through the Samaritan leper, Jesus taught us that gratitude is a sign of faith.  This Sunday, the gospel (Luke 18: 1-8) gives us another sign of faith – prayer - the prayer that asks, seeks, implores, the “prayer of petition.”

Experience tells us that it is comforting to pray when what your prayer is granted in the way you expect.  But prayer is also darkness.  At times, it seems God does not yield.  We realize also that at times we must wait long for God’s action to unfold. There are moments we feel our prayer bounces off a blank wall.

When this happens, we are heavily tempted to stop approaching God, to give up the habit of relying on him.  Some of us may have even thought of doubting altogether whether there is a God out there.

But Jesus guides us to respond and not merely to react. In today’s gospel the Lord insists that we continue on.  In fact, he recommends prayer “always” – the kind of persistent prayer of a widow desperate to get what she desires.  In all our needs, we must exercise our capacity to pray.  Why?

For Jesus prayer is a sign of deep trust in the power, in the goodness of God. Prayer unmasks our dependence on a Father who provides.  Prayer enables us to hope in the midst of struggles.  Prayer is our sign of strong faith in the God who listens.  Most importantly, our loving God wants to supply all our needs! He wants us to know firsthand how limitless is his love. So, ask! Pray!

As Catholics, we have a tradition of ceaseless prayer, of surrender, of demanding and expecting a miracle. This is what our novenas and triduum are all about.  This is what our Angelus, rosaries and chaplets convey.  This is what regular Sunday Mass and Bible reading truly mean. We grow in faith when we pray at all times and in every situation.

And we know the rewards of faith-filled prayer. Like a child, our eyes are opened to the marvels God is accomplishing within and around us. We see God at work is the small and big things.  We obtain the answers we seek. Coco Martin, a very famous young Filipino actor, shared his experience of faith in a church conference this week.  I like the way he sums up how God works in his life. He quipped: God answered 15 out of my 10 petitions!

What a simple faith! But what a trusting and profound attitude about prayer! The only limit to God’s answer to prayer is our own doubt, our cynical attitudes.  How often we have over-rationalized and over-analyzed our relationship with the Lord.

Today Jesus tells us to just ask for what we need.  Believe in the Father who gives good things.  Live a life of consistent faith and trust in God through the practice of prayer.