PERSISTENCE IN PRAYER AS THE STAFF OF VICTORY

HOMILY FOR THE 29^TH SUNDAY OF THE ORDINARY TIME, YEAR C

Rev. Fr. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi

A girl accidentally tripped and fell into an ancient, dry well. She shouted for help, but help wasn’t forthcoming. There was nobody around to hear her cries. Dismayed, she looked around. Water was flowing continuously through a channel across the base of the well from one side to the other, rather than filling up the well. There were several blocks of stone on the floor. She noticed that there were open holes at regular intervals up the sides of the well which would prevent the flowing water to fill it up. It was clear that the stones on the floor were intended to fit into the holes and block them up, so that the flowing water would fill up the well to the brim. As the girl realised this, she smiled with relief. She thought to herself: if only I can slot these stones on the floor into these holes up the sides, then this water (which would then have nowhere else to go but up) will rise and lift me out of the well. That would be manageable, since she was a good swimmer and had learnt to hold her breath under water.

The task ahead of her would be tedious and would require much effort, persistence and skill. Every so often she shouted for help to see if any would come, but it never did. Eventually she decided to undertake the task before she died of hunger. She picked up the blocks of stone one by one and started shoving them into their holes. First of all, she blocked up the holes at the base of the well so that the water would no longer flow through it. As she did this, the water level rose and carried her up. On reaching the middle of the well, when all the holes had been blocked up, her work was complete. The water swirled and became more intense after the outlet holes were all filled-in. All she had to do now was to tread water and hold her breath. So it was that she survived. Her intelligence and struggles and persistence had all contributed to her survival. How often do we seek help from afar, when the Lord has already provided help immediately around us to assist us to rise above our difficulties? 

In the 1^st Reading (Exodus 17:8-13), Moses saw for himself how difficult it was to win the war against the Amalekites. Like the girl in my story, and inspired by God, Moses used his initiative to ensure the survival of the Israelites. Then he made a conscious decision to hold up the staff of God, the staff which signified power. Moses had learned from his experience of God just how powerful the staff was! He had this staff with him when he was negotiating the freedom of his people in Exodus 4:20. With this same staff, he struck the Red Sea and the waters were divided (in Exodus 14:16). With this same staff, he struck the rock (Exodus 17:5) and water gushed out. Thus, this staff was the palpable sign of God’s presence among the people on their way to the Promised Land. Then he trusted that this sign of the divine Presence would bring about the necessary victory: “...go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” As Moses held up the staff in his hands, the Israelites prevailed, but when he lowered the staff, it was the Amalekites who prevailed. On that day, God manifested His power to the Israelites. The staff became the symbol of power, of victory and of dominion. This staff remains available to us today if only we can hold up the staff and never let it fall. 

With the passage of time during the battle, the hands of Moses grew weary with holding the staff aloft continuously. Their failure would lead to the defeat of the Israelites. Something had to be done to help him. Then they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. The staff in the hands of Moses became the reason behind their ongoing victory. The steadiness of those hands that held up the staff assured the Israelites of steady progress to winning the battle. We too need to remain steady and focused if we desire to be continual winners against the evils of our time. As a Christian who is always fighting a battle, what do you think is our staff of victory today? In a word, our staff is prayer. That is our weapon against the devil. We have also been provided with many instruments, such as devotional prayer, to help us sharpen this staff of prayer. The Bible too is a veritable instrument. In the Bible are writings inspired by the Holy Spirit and prayerful verses; as the 2^nd Reading (2 Tim 3:14 - 4:2) tells us, Scripture is inspired and is profitable in making us righteous men and women. Prayer remains the staff upon which we can rely. We must watch and pray that we may not fall into temptation (Mt. 26:41); we must pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17) and pray for one another (Jas 5:16). As the staff signifies prayer to Almighty God, the support of the hands of Moses signifies persistence and solidarity in prayer. Today’s Gospel Reading (Luke 18:1-8) begins with beautiful words reminding us of the need to pray continually and never lose heart (Luke 18:1). Jesus told the parable of the Persistent Widow to teach us of the need to persist in prayer.  

Back to our story of ‘the girl in the well.’ Just as the girl did, we will face difficulties in life. These difficulties are not meant to dampen our zeal. They can be seen as opportunities for us to become more resourceful, to use our brains and to grow through experience. Yes, sometimes we are on the look-out for help and are disappointed when it doesn’t seem to come. Like this girl too, we might yell for help without realising that God has already provided us with the resources we need to overcome our difficulties. These resources might require us to employ our intelligence and skills, and to make an effort to use them, just as the girl used her intelligence and skills and made an effort to survive. And, like Aaron and Hur, we must help and support one another in prayer and holy charity. In addition to all these resources is God’s gift to us of His grace, which prompts us to put our minds to work. And how can we continue to tap into this grace if not by constant prayer and good works? Let’s not forget St. Paul’s words of exhortation to Timothy: I desire then that in every place every person should pray, lifting holy hands…(1 Tim 2: 8). I wish you all a prayerful week ahead. God bless you.