Our readings today focus on the virtues of perseverance and persistence. In our first reading Israel’s battle with Amalek’s army would go well while Moses held up the staff of God with his hands. But when Moses grew tired and brought his arms down the battle would turn against Israel. To help Moses keep his arms up, Aaron and Hur would each hold an arm while Moses sat on a rock. In this case, Moses persevered with the support of others. Something for us to think about when we are hard pressed to keep going.
In the second reading St Paul encourages Timothy to be persistent in proclaiming the word whether the circumstances are easy or hard. To persist and go on when others are discouraged or decide to give up.
And in the gospel reading Jesus tells us, by way of the Parable of the Persistent Widow, that our efforts in prayer should remain resolute and strong. For even this dishonest judge would hear the demands of the persistent widow, and if that be the case then how much more will God our Father listen to us.
Whether we are resisting evil and battling temptation, whether we are encountering difficulties in studying and sharing the gospel message with others, or whether our prayers appear to go unanswered, in each case persistence and perseverance counteract discouragement and forestall a tendency to give up. Today I would like to spend a few minutes speaking about the challenges of prayer since, short of the sacraments, this is a principal means by which we can encounter and know our God and hear his voice in and for our lives. Prayer is foundational to our lives as Catholics, and it comes with its own, and at times difficult, challenges.
Typically, our intercessory prayers may comprise requests for peace, or healing, for reconciliation or conversion, a return to good health, and so on. These are all good things yet at times God seems not to hear us, remains silent, distant or even absent. This experience of God’s silence despite our prayerful efforts, sooner or later comes to most of us at a very personal level. And sometimes God’s silence may last a very long time. Our response to this silence must be a resolute persistence as Jesus instructs us, and as many of the saints teach us. St. Ignatius of Loyola would coin the term ‘Agere Contra’, which means, ‘acting against’. St. Ignatius encourages us to act against the temptation to spiritual desolation – the feeling of dryness in prayer associated with discouragement or spiritual suffering. For God desires that we not only go to him, but to do so often. Like a game of hide and seek, we are to chase our God without giving up. St. Ignatius tell us that God desires persistent prayer and is pleased when we keep knocking and keep chasing. We pursue a positive answer to our prayerful intentions, but God uses this time for our spiritual growth; to bring us closer to him, to experience a closer intimacy. Like the contradiction of the cross, we experience the contradiction of not feeling He is there, but nevertheless his presence is made nearer through these difficulties. Now of course, it is when God feels far away that the last thing we really want to do is pray or meditate but it is precisely in these moments when we go to him, despite our feelings – which may include a feeling of abandonment or even anger, for it is here is this discouraging experience that the seeds are planted for our spiritual reawakening. It is for our own good or for the good of others that God may not immediately answer our prayers or in fact may not do so at all.
That explanation may suffice for a time and may even help us recover our spiritual joy and trust. However, where do we go if even here we continue to receive no answer, or if God's answer to our prayer is a clear “no”. Here we are to recall that each life, including ours, has a particular and tremendous meaning – a meaning that goes well beyond the borders of our individual sense of self. For as Christians we are invited to participate ever more fully in the eternal plan of salvation which aims to gather as many souls as possible into the kingdom of God. We join Christ in this his mission and in so doing at times MUST sacrifice as Christ himself sacrificed. On this side of eternity there may be no explanation why some of our prayers go unanswered, and we are left carrying a cross, but a time will come when all will be revealed and our part therein.
Patience and perseverance are virtues which we can grow in. These are needed to help navigate the challenges of our lives. Jesus encourages us to keep praying despite what may appear at times to be God’s silence. We can look for various explanations to unanswered prayer but regardless, we persist and pursue our God and commend ourselves to him since our faith and trust remain resolute. God does hear all our prayers, and to each one will be given an answer - if not now then in the world to come.
Deacon Peter Bujwid
St. Agnes Church, Arlington, Massachusetts
Sunday 19th October 2025
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