Pray continually. Homily for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C. Fr.GeoffreyPlant Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 18,1-8. Jesus told his disciples a parable about the necessity …More
Pray continually. Homily for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C.
Fr.GeoffreyPlant Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 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?"
Hesychios the Sinaite
of the monastery at Vatos -sometimes identified with Hesychios of Jerusalem, priest - (c. Vth century), monk
Chapters "On watchfulness and holiness", nos. 91, 106, 107, 149, 203 (The Philokalia; trans. G.E.H. Palmer, Philip Sherrard, Kallistos Ware)
Let us pray without tiring so that we may discover the glory of his Kingdom
To invoke Jesus continually with a sweet longing is to fill the heart in its great attentiveness with joy and tranquility. But it is to Jesus Christ, the Son of God and himself God, cause and creator of all blessings, who completely purifies the heart, for it is written: "I am the God who makes peace" (cf. Is 45:7 LXX). (…) Let us exert ourselves like David, crying out: "Lord Jesus Christ!" until our throats are sore; and let our spiritual eyes never cease to give us hope in the Lord our God (cf. Ps 68[69:4 LXX). If we constantly bear in mind the parable of the unjust judge, which the Lord related in order to show us that we ought always to pray and not lose heart, we shall both profit and be vindicated (cf. Lk 18:1-8). (…) If the soul has Christ with it, it will not be disgraced by its enemies even at death, when it rises to heaven's entrance, but then, as now, it will boldly confront them. But let it not tire in calling upon the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, day and night until the time of its departure from this mortal life, and he will speedily avenge it in accordance with the promise which he himself made when speaking of the unjust judge (cf. Lk 18:1-8). Indeed, he will avenge it both in this present life and after its departure from the body. (…) Yet it is not from us but has been given by God, who is praised and glorified in the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit by every spiritual being, men and angels, and by all creation fashioned by the Holy Trinity, one God. May we too reach his glorious kingdom through the prayers of the most pure Mother of God and of our holy fathers. To the unattainable God be everlasting glory. Amen.
Fr.GeoffreyPlant Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 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?"
Hesychios the Sinaite
of the monastery at Vatos -sometimes identified with Hesychios of Jerusalem, priest - (c. Vth century), monk
Chapters "On watchfulness and holiness", nos. 91, 106, 107, 149, 203 (The Philokalia; trans. G.E.H. Palmer, Philip Sherrard, Kallistos Ware)
Let us pray without tiring so that we may discover the glory of his Kingdom
To invoke Jesus continually with a sweet longing is to fill the heart in its great attentiveness with joy and tranquility. But it is to Jesus Christ, the Son of God and himself God, cause and creator of all blessings, who completely purifies the heart, for it is written: "I am the God who makes peace" (cf. Is 45:7 LXX). (…) Let us exert ourselves like David, crying out: "Lord Jesus Christ!" until our throats are sore; and let our spiritual eyes never cease to give us hope in the Lord our God (cf. Ps 68[69:4 LXX). If we constantly bear in mind the parable of the unjust judge, which the Lord related in order to show us that we ought always to pray and not lose heart, we shall both profit and be vindicated (cf. Lk 18:1-8). (…) If the soul has Christ with it, it will not be disgraced by its enemies even at death, when it rises to heaven's entrance, but then, as now, it will boldly confront them. But let it not tire in calling upon the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, day and night until the time of its departure from this mortal life, and he will speedily avenge it in accordance with the promise which he himself made when speaking of the unjust judge (cf. Lk 18:1-8). Indeed, he will avenge it both in this present life and after its departure from the body. (…) Yet it is not from us but has been given by God, who is praised and glorified in the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit by every spiritual being, men and angels, and by all creation fashioned by the Holy Trinity, one God. May we too reach his glorious kingdom through the prayers of the most pure Mother of God and of our holy fathers. To the unattainable God be everlasting glory. Amen.