Saturday, October 22 2016 - Saturday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 EPH 4:7-16

Brothers and sisters:
Grace was given to each of us
according to the measure of Christ’s gift.
Therefore, it says:

He ascended on high and took prisoners captive;
he gave gifts to men.

What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended
into the lower regions of the earth?
The one who descended is also the one who ascended
far above all the heavens,
that he might fill all things.

And he gave some as Apostles, others as prophets,
others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers,
to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry,
for building up the Body of Christ,
until we all attain to the unity of faith
and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood
to the extent of the full stature of Christ,
so that we may no longer be infants,
tossed by waves and swept along by every wind of teaching
arising from human trickery,
from their cunning in the interests of deceitful scheming.
Rather, living the truth in love,
we should grow in every way into him who is the head, Christ,
from whom the whole Body,
joined and held together by every supporting ligament,
with the proper functioning of each part,
brings about the Body’s growth and builds itself up in love.

Responsorial Psalm PS 122:1-2, 3-4AB, 4CD-5

R. (1) Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
I rejoiced because they said to me,
“We will go up to the house of the LORD.”
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Jerusalem, built as a city
with compact unity.
To it the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
According to the decree for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
In it are set up judgment seats,
seats for the house of David.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

Alleluia EZ 33:11

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked man, says the Lord,
but rather in his conversion that he may live.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GospelLK 13:1-9

Some people told Jesus about the Galileans
whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices.
He said to them in reply, 
“Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way 
they were greater sinners than all other Galileans?
By no means!
But I tell you, if you do not repent,
you will all perish as they did!
Or those eighteen people who were killed 
when the tower at Siloam fell on them–
do you think they were more guilty 
than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem?
By no means!
But I tell you, if you do not repent,
you will all perish as they did!”

And he told them this parable: 
“There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard, 
and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none,
he said to the gardener,
‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree 
but have found none.
So cut it down.
Why should it exhaust the soil?’
He said to him in reply,
‘Sir, leave it for this year also, 
and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; 
it may bear fruit in the future.
If not you can cut it down.’”

REFLECTION 

HYPOCRITICAL LEAVES

"Look here! For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree and found none. Cut it down. Why should it clutter up the ground?" –Luke 13:7

One Bread, One Body - Reflection for October 22, 2016

We don't hear of Jesus cursing straggly, leafless trees. Rather, He cursed good-looking trees with lots of foliage but no fruit (Mt 21:19). Likewise, in Jesus' letters to the churches in Revelation, He does not threaten to close bad-looking churches but ones that have great reputations yet little fruit. For example, to the church of Sardis, Jesus says: "I know the reputation you have of being alive, when in fact you are dead! Wake up" (Rv 3:1-2). To Laodicea, Jesus declares: "You keep saying, 'I am so rich and secure that I want for nothing.' Little do you realize how wretched you are, how pitiable and poor, how blind and naked! Take my advice" (Rv 3:17-18).

To the Church of today, Jesus may be saying the same thing. Yes, we have more foliage than ever – buildings, finances, and programs more than at any other time in the history of Christ's Church. Yet how much fruit is there under all those leaves? I know churches with half-million dollar budgets and five catechumens. Of course, the Church has the responsibility to take care of its old fruit, but where is the new harvest? Jesus curses just leaves. Leaves without fruit are hypocritical.

PRAYER:	Father, make me a tree which has more fruit than leaves.
PROMISE:	"When He ascended on high, He took a host of captives and gave gifts to men." –Eph 4:8
PRAISE:	Pope St. John Paul II bore much fruit both during his long pontificate and in his timeless writings.

Friday, October 21 2016 - Friday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 EPH 4:1-6

Brothers and sisters:
I, a prisoner for the Lord,
urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received,
with all humility and gentleness, with patience,
bearing with one another through love,
striving to preserve the unity of the spirit
through the bond of peace; 
one Body and one Spirit, 
as you were also called to the one hope of your call;
one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
one God and Father of all,
who is over all and through all and in all.

Responsorial Psalm PS 24:1-2, 3-4AB, 5-6

R. (see 6) Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,
a reward from God his savior.
Such is the race that seeks for him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.

Alleluia SEE MT 11:25

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 12:54-59

Jesus said to the crowds,
“When you see a cloud rising in the west
you say immediately that it is going to rain–and so it does;
and when you notice that the wind is blowing from the south
you say that it is going to be hot–and so it is.
You hypocrites!
You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky;
why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

“Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?
If you are to go with your opponent before a magistrate,
make an effort to settle the matter on the way;
otherwise your opponent will turn you over to the judge,
and the judge hand you over to the constable,
and the constable throw you into prison.
I say to you, you will not be released
until you have paid the last penny.”

REFLECTION 

FREE ONE

"There is but one body and one Spirit." –Ephesians 4:4

One Bread, One Body - Reflection for October 21, 2016

We must "make every effort to preserve the unity which has the Spirit as its origin and peace as its binding force" (Eph 4:3). Without a deep, Trinitarian unity, the world will not have faith that Jesus has been sent by the Father (Jn 17:21). Without faith in Jesus, we will not let Jesus set us free (Jn 8:36). Thus, we will disqualify ourselves from receiving the graces of the Holy Spirit, the essence of which is freedom (Lv 25:10ff). Therefore, we must be one in Jesus to have faith to accept the freedom of the Spirit.

To grow in unity with the Lord and each other: 

• Repent and go to Confession, for sin divides God's people. 
• Receive the miracle of Trinitarian unity by receiving Holy Communion daily or as often as possible. 
• Forgive those who have offended you. 
• Apologize to those whom you have offended. 
• Be a minister of reconciliation (2 Cor 5:18). 
• Pray daily for unity (see Jn 17:20-21). 
• Share your faith in Jesus. 
• Stir into flame the Holy Spirit of unity (2 Tm 1:6-7). 

After we accept a new Pentecost of unity, we will have the Holy Spirit's freedom.

PRAYER:	Father, if necessary, may I die for Your gift of unity to be accepted (see Jn 11:51-52).
PROMISE:	"There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, Who is over all, and works through all, and is in all." –Eph 4:5-6
PRAISE:	Helen rejoiced when her husband finally joined her in the Catholic Church and they could receive Jesus together.

Thursday, October 20 2016 - Thursday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 EPH 3:14-21

Brothers and sisters:
I kneel before the Father,
from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,
that he may grant you in accord with the riches of his glory
to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner self,
and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith;
that you, rooted and grounded in love,
may have strength to comprehend with all the holy ones
what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge,
so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to accomplish far more than all we ask or imagine,
by the power at work within us,
to him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus
to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Responsorial Psalm PS 33:1-2, 4-5, 11-12, 18-19

R. (5b) The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
Exult, you just, in the LORD;
praise from the upright is fitting.
Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;
with the ten stringed lyre chant his praises.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
For upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
But the plan of the LORD stands forever;
the design of his heart, through all generations.
Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he has chosen for his own inheritance.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
But see, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.

Gospel PHIL 3:8-9

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I consider all things so much rubbish 
that I may gain Christ and be found in him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 12:49-53

Jesus said to his disciples:
“I have come to set the earth on fire,
and how I wish it were already blazing!
There is a baptism with which I must be baptized,
and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished!
Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth?
No, I tell you, but rather division.
From now on a household of five will be divided,
three against two and two against three;
a father will be divided against his son
and a son against his father, 
a mother against her daughter
and a daughter against her mother,
a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”

REFLECTION 

FAMILY VALUES

"That is why I kneel before the Father from Whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name; and I pray." –Ephesians 3:14-16

One Bread, One Body - Reflection for October 20, 2016

Jesus is the second Person of the Trinity. The Trinity is the eternal, ultimate Holy Family. After His Incarnation, Jesus lived in another holy family with Mary and Joseph. Therefore, Jesus has high standards for family life. He calls families to be holy, sacramental signs of the Trinity as Family.

To make holy, Trinitarian families, Jesus: 

• lights "a fire on the earth" to purify families (Lk 12:49), 
• was baptized, that is, immersed in, the pain of His death on the cross (see Lk 12:50; Mk 10:38), 
• surfaces the divisions in families in order to deal with them through forgiveness, repentance, and healing (see Lk 12:51ff), 
• dwells in the hearts of family members through faith (Eph 3:17), 
• enables us "to grasp fully, with all the holy ones, the breadth and length and height and depth of" His love (Eph 3:18), and 
• does "immeasurably more than we ask or imagine" (Eph 3:20). 

Jesus is offering each of us the miracle of a holy, Trinitarian family. Accept His offer by accepting Him as Savior and Lord of your life and your family.

PRAYER:	Father, make my family a miracle and Your masterpiece.
PROMISE:	"To Him Whose power now at work in us can do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine..." –Eph 3:20
PRAISE:	St. Paul of the Cross and his Passionist priests have evangelized far beyond Italy. He had a special ministry to the sick, the dying, the lapsed, and the sinner needing reconciliation.

Memorial of Saints John de Brébeuf and Isaac Jogues, Priests, and Companions, Martyrs Lectionary: 475

Reading 1 

EPH 3:2-12

Brothers and sisters:
You have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace
that was given to me for your benefit,
namely, that the mystery was made known to me by revelation,
as I have written briefly earlier.
When you read this
you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,
which was not made known to human beings in other generations
as it has now been revealed
to his holy Apostles and prophets by the Spirit,
that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same Body,
and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel.

Of this I became a minister by the gift of God’s grace
that was granted me in accord with the exercise of his power.
To me, the very least of all the holy ones, this grace was given,
to preach to the Gentiles the inscrutable riches of Christ,
and to bring to light for all what is the plan of the mystery
hidden from ages past in God who created all things,
so that the manifold wisdom of God
might now be made known through the Church
to the principalities and authorities in the heavens.
This was according to the eternal purpose
that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,
in whom we have boldness of speech
and confidence of access through faith in him.

Responsorial Psalm IS 12:2-3, 4BCD, 5-6

R. (see 3) You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
God indeed is my savior;
I am confident and unafraid.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
With joy you will draw water
at the fountain of salvation.
R. You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
Give thanks to the LORD, acclaim his name;
among the nations make known his deeds,
proclaim how exalted is his name.
R. You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
Sing praise to the LORD for his glorious achievement;
let this be known throughout all the earth.
Shout with exultation, O city of Zion,
for great in your midst
is the Holy One of Israel!
R. You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.

Alleluia MT 24:42A, 44

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Stay awake! 
For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 12:39-48

Jesus said to his disciples: 
“Be sure of this:
if the master of the house had known the hour
when the thief was coming,
he would not have let his house be broken into.
You also must be prepared,
for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”

Then Peter said,
“Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?”
And the Lord replied,
“Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward
whom the master will put in charge of his servants
to distribute the food allowance at the proper time?
Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so.
Truly, I say to you, he will put him
in charge of all his property.
But if that servant says to himself,
‘My master is delayed in coming,’
and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants,
to eat and drink and get drunk,
then that servant’s master will come
on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour
and will punish the servant severely
and assign him a place with the unfaithful.
That servant who knew his master’s will
but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will
shall be beaten severely;
and the servant who was ignorant of his master’s will
but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating
shall be beaten only lightly. 
Much will be required of the person entrusted with much,
and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”

Tuesday, October 18 2016 Feast of Saint Luke, Evangelist

Reading 1 

2 TM 4:10-17B

Beloved:
Demas, enamored of the present world,
deserted me and went to Thessalonica,
Crescens to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.
Luke is the only one with me.
Get Mark and bring him with you,
for he is helpful to me in the ministry.
I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus.
When you come, bring the cloak I left with Carpus in Troas,
the papyrus rolls, and especially the parchments.

Alexander the coppersmith did me a great deal of harm;
the Lord will repay him according to his deeds.
You too be on guard against him,
for he has strongly resisted our preaching.

At my first defense no one appeared on my behalf,
but everyone deserted me.
May it not be held against them!
But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength,
so that through me the proclamation might be completed
and all the Gentiles might hear it.

Responsorial Psalm PS 145:10-11, 12-13, 17-18

R. (12) Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom
and speak of your might.
R. Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
Making known to men your might
and the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
Your Kingdom is a Kingdom for all ages,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
R. Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
The LORD is just in all his ways
and holy in all his works.
The LORD is near to all who call upon him,
to all who call upon him in truth.
R. Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.

Alleluia SEE JN 15:16

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I chose you from the world,
to go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 10:1-9

The Lord Jesus appointed seventy-two disciples
whom he sent ahead of him in pairs
to every town and place he intended to visit.
He said to them,
“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest.
Go on your way;
behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.
Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals;
and greet no one along the way.
Into whatever house you enter,
first say, ‘Peace to this household.’
If a peaceful person lives there,
your peace will rest on him;
but if not, it will return to you.
Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you,
for the laborer deserves payment.
Do not move about from one house to another.
Whatever town you enter and they welcome you,
eat what is set before you,
cure the sick in it and say to them,
‘The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.’”

Monday, October 17 2016 Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop and Martyr

Reading 1 Eph 2:1-10

Brothers and sisters:
You were dead in your transgressions and sins
in which you once lived following the age of this world,
following the ruler of the power of the air,
the spirit that is now at work in the disobedient.
All of us once lived among them in the desires of our flesh,
following the wishes of the flesh and the impulses,
and we were by nature children of wrath, like the rest.
But God, who is rich in mercy,
because of the great love he had for us,
even when we were dead in our transgressions,
brought us to life with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
raised us up with him,
and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus,
that in the ages to come
he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace
in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
For by grace you have been saved through faith,
and this is not from you; it is the gift of God;
it is not from works, so no one may boast.
For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for good works
that God has prepared in advance,
that we should live in them.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 100:1b-2, 3, 4ab, 4c-5

R. (3b) The Lord made us, we belong to him.
Sing joyfully to the LORD all you lands;
serve the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful song.
R. The Lord made us, we belong to him.
Know that the LORD is God;
he made us, his we are;
his people, the flock he tends.
R. The Lord made us, we belong to him.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
his courts with praise.
R. The Lord made us, we belong to him.
Give thanks to him; bless his name, for he is good:
the LORD, whose kindness endures forever,
and his faithfulness, to all generations.
R. The Lord made us, we belong to him.

Alleluia Mt 5:3

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are the poor in spirit;
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Lk 12:13-21

Someone in the crowd said to Jesus,
“Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.”
He replied to him,
“Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?”
Then he said to the crowd,
“Take care to guard against all greed,
for though one may be rich,
one’s life does not consist of possessions.”

Then he told them a parable.
“There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest.
He asked himself, ‘What shall I do,
for I do not have space to store my harvest?’
And he said, ‘This is what I shall do:
I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones.
There I shall store all my grain and other goods
and I shall say to myself, “Now as for you,
you have so many good things stored up for many years,
rest, eat, drink, be merry!”’
But God said to him,
‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you;
and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?’
Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself
but is not rich in what matters to God.”

REFLECTION 

SAVED FROM AN UNSPEAKABLE HELL

"You were dead." –Ephesians 2:1

We start life "dead in sin" (Eph 2:5), and we buy into death through our "sins and offenses" (Eph 2:1). In this living death (1 Jn 3:14), we are blinded, manipulated, and drafted into giving "allegiance to the present age and to the prince of the air, that spirit who is even now at work among the rebellious" (Eph 2:2). Satan keeps us in line and enslaved by seducing us to live "at the level of the flesh, following every whim and fancy" (Eph 2:3). Thus, certain sins become our very lives (Col 3:7). When we occasionally get glimpses of our lives of death and slavery, we hate ourselves for our addiction to being seduced and abused by the evil one. Then, we lie to ourselves and try to run away from reality by yielding to more seductions and demonic abuse. Thus, our lives deteriorate "through illusion and desire" (Eph 4:22). Of ourselves, we are trapped and doomed to an everlasting hell of being mocked and abused.

"But God is rich in mercy; because of His great love for us He brought us to life with Christ when we were dead in sin. By this favor you were saved" (Eph 2:4-5). Thank You, Jesus, for saving us from an unspeakable hell and saving us for an unimaginable heaven. Thank You, Jesus, our Savior.

PRAYER:	Father, You loved us so much that You sent Your Son so that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have everlasting life (Jn 3:16). I believe in Him with all my heart.
PROMISE:	"Serve the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful song." –Ps 100:2
PRAISE:	St. Ignatius wrote: "He Who rose for our sakes is my one Desire."

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Sunday, October 16 2016 Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 Ex 17:8-13

In those days, Amalek came and waged war against Israel.
Moses, therefore, said to Joshua,
“Pick out certain men,
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.” 
So Joshua did as Moses told him:
he engaged Amalek in battle
after Moses had climbed to the top of the hill with Aaron and Hur.
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 put a rock in place for him to sit on. 
Meanwhile Aaron and Hur supported his hands,
one on one side and one on the other,
so that his hands remained steady till sunset.
And Joshua mowed down Amalek and his people
with the edge of the sword.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 121:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8

R. (cf. 2) Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
I lift up my eyes toward the mountains;
whence shall help come to me?
My help is from the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
May he not suffer your foot to slip;
may he slumber not who guards you:
indeed he neither slumbers nor sleeps,
the guardian of Israel.
R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
The LORD is your guardian; the LORD is your shade;
he is beside you at your right hand.
The sun shall not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
The LORD will guard you from all evil;
he will guard your life.
The LORD will guard your coming and your going,
both now and forever.
R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

Reading 2 2 Tm 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.

Alleluia Heb 4:12

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The word of God is living and effective,
discerning reflections and thoughts of the heart.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

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?”

REFLECTION 

PRAYER LINES

"...the necessity of praying always and not losing heart." –Luke 18:1

Jesus teaches us in today's parable to pray in perseverance for our needs (Lk 18:1). Elsewhere in Scripture, Jesus reveals more about how to pray always with perseverance and power: 

• Pray by listening to God (Lk 10:38-42). 
• Pray in a love-relationship with "Abba" (Mt 6:9; Gal 4:6). 
• Pray with faith. Jesus is always looking for faith (Lk 18:8). 
• Pray without ever losing heart, that is, not growing weary and not going through the motions of prayer (Lk 18:1). 
• Pray the words of Scripture (2 Tm 3:16). Praying the Word of God has powerful force (Jn 10:35). 
• Pray in confident power with others (Mt 18:19-20; Acts 4:24-31; Ex 17:8-13). 
• "Pray in the Spirit" (Eph 6:18) using the spiritual gift of tongues. The Holy Spirit directly intercedes through us in tongues and helps us in our weakness (Rm 8:26). 
• Pray without ceasing (1 Thes 5:17). 

Observe a young couple in love. They spend day after day in each other's presence without growing weary of each other. Therefore, ask Jesus to give you a new heart (Ez 36:26) and open it to receive the love He is pouring out through the Holy Spirit (Rm 5:5). Then your prayer will grow in love instead of growing weary.

PRAYER:	Father, may I pray not because I want something from You, but always because I want You.
PROMISE:	"All Scripture is inspired of God and is useful for teaching – for reproof, correction, and training in holiness." –2 Tm 3:16
PRAISE:	Praise Jesus, crucified and risen Lord. All glory, honor, and praise be to You!

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