INTRODUCTION
Today I’d like to
reflect on the theme of “Staying Power” or “sticktoitiveness” or "fidelity" “persistence”
or “perseverance” or “capacity for faithfulness” - or to "have a super glue" way of doing life.
The title of my homily is, "Staying Power."
So use any word or words that will
get across the quality of perseverance in getting things done that are
important.
Today’s three
readings - for this 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time [C] bring out that much needed virtue - especially in this day of instant
this and instant that - and broken commitments, and escapisms, etc.
I don’t know about
you, but my issue is procrastination - and the solution is another word beginning in "p": perseverance.
FIRST READING
In the first reading
Moses stands on top of hill praying for Joshua and his men who are fighting
Amalek in battle below. This story, which is quite well known by most
preachers, is a dramatic example of staying power. Moses keeps his arms up like
Christ on the cross, but as soon as his arms start to slip, the Israelites
fighting below start to lose the battle, so Moses asks Aaron and Hur to help
him keep his arms up and finally to put rocks under his arms to keep them from
falling. Now that’s fidelity.
We can relate to this
story.
When we were in
school, we all had to use “tooth picks” to keep our eyes open to get a term
paper or to use coffee to stay awake or to go outside to get some cold air, so
that we can finish that term paper.
We all know people
who visit family members - like every day - when they are in a nursing home.
We all known what it
is to be on an all night vigil at a hospital supporting someone who is dying or
in need of our presence.
SECOND READING
In the second reading
we have Paul talking about how important this virtue of persistence is with
regards Scripture. Every preacher knows that it takes lots of dedication to
learn the sacred scripture. It takes lots of study, lots of courses, lots of
papers. To be trained in holiness through the scriptures, we need to spend many
hours in prayer - so that we may become fully competent and equipped for every
good work.
Then Paul tells us
that our job is to preach the word - staying with this task whether it’s
convenient or inconvenient, correcting, reproving, appealing - constantly
teaching and never losing patience.
So it takes a lot of
fidelity to prepare decent sermons Sunday after Sunday after Sunday. It takes a
lot of prayer and reflection, over and over and over again, so as not to give
people leftovers.
And it’s especially
difficult because sermons deal with invisible stuff. In the hard work of putting
together meal after meal after meal, at least we can see leftovers.
GOSPEL
And today’s gospel
pushes this theme par excellance. The widow wears down the judge by her
“staying power”.
Jesus tells us that
this is how we are to pray - to be like the widow - to keep on nagging God. And
if an unjust judge can be broken, how much easier it is to wear down a just
judge like our God?
Commentators tell us
that the judge was probably a crook who was hoping for a bribe. Since it was a
case that called for just one judge, it was probably a case that had to do with
money. An interesting note is the word “hypopiazein” which in the NAB is
translated as “by doing me violence”. It means “to hit under the eye” or “to
get a black eye”. It’s a term taken from boxing. So the judge acts out of fear.
Our God acts out of love.
EXAMPLES
So the message that I
am pushing today is that we all look at our “staying power.” It’s certainly a
quality that is needed in this life.
People who are Pro
Life need staying power. It’s going to be a long battle. It has been and will
be for years to come. They need to keep their arms up like Moses and they need
each other to walk arm in arm.
People who are
protesting and staging sit-in’s against nuclear arms, also need staying power.
Or if we are working
on personal issues like pride, jealousy, laziness, overeating, overdrinking,
oversleeping, lust, bitching, whatever, then we need this virtue of patience
and persistence.
We need staying power.
And we can’t forget
that that we are not doing it alone. If we keep on praying for a gift, we’ll
find ourselves working to have that virtue and gift. Prayer, as in
communication in any relationship, will eventually force one of us to break and
change.
There was a homily by
George McCauley, years ago in America homily on these readings. He faced the question of chastity. He said that if keep praying for chastity, we’ll
eventually see ourselves changing. First, it will be a growth in honesty. Next,
it will a change in our attitude towards how we treat others. Next, we’ll see
the ramifications of chastity in the energy levels of our life and on and on
and on.
Jesus told this story
with the theme of prayer as his main goal. He challenges us to be like that
widow. Pray. Prey on the judge. “Could you not watch one hour with me.” So I
keep this woman in mind here who nags and nags and nags, hoping that you will
make a judgement in favor of taking time out each day for prayer.
Life calls for staying
power - in any situation in any job.
It could be doing an
honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay.
It could be taking care of our health -
getting enough exercise and flossing our teeth.
It could be making
sure our car is running well - and we have an eye on its maintenance.
CONCLUSION
Hopefully we hear Jesus’ message.
It can be summed up in one word: nag.
Or three words, “Nag, nag, nag.”
