Pray Always
October 21, 2007

Readings for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading 1: Ex. 17:8–13

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

Reading 2: 2 Tim. 3:14–4:2

Gospel: Lk. 18:1–8

Link to Readings

By Father Michael Caridi

My brothers and sisters, I think that we would all agree that friendships are an important and necessary part of our daily lives. Without our friends, where would we be?

Now, perhaps what we look for most in a friendship is constancy—the fact that we can depend on a true friend “to be there” for us whenever we need them. In the same way, if we desire to be true friends, then we must return an equal constancy—we should be available for them whenever they need us.

Good friendships—the ones that last forever—are based on such reciprocity. If the reciprocity is lacking, then the friendship will then wither and die. And since no one likes or appreciates a “fair-weather friend,” constancy becomes the measure of whether a friendship is good or not.

Prayer: An Essential Ingredient

An analogous situation exists in our prayer lives as Christians. We always expect that God will be there for us. And He is! His love, concern, and mercy are constant. On the other hand, however, we too must strive in our relationship with God—in our prayer life—to be constant. We must avoid being “fair-weather friends” who only consult God in times of urgent need—who use God and then readily discard Him once He has served His purpose.

Our Catholic faith teaches us that such a constant reciprocity must exist in our relationship with the Lord if it is going to be truly fulfilling and lasting. Therefore, a daily life of prayer—a daily discoursing with the Lord—is not an option for the Catholic. It is an essential ingredient—perhaps the essential ingredient for our spiritual life.

A Living Relationship

Now today there are many false notions circulating concerning prayer—concerning what true prayer is. For some, prayer is merely a psychological activity—a process of introspection—of looking within and reflecting on our lives. For others, their motto for prayer is that “my work is my prayer”; for them, only activity counts.

Such attitudes, however, are inconsistent with what true Christian prayer actually is and are inconsistent with our rich Catholic Tradition of prayer. As the Catechism defines it, prayer is “the living relationship of the children of God with their Father who is good beyond measure, with His Son Jesus Christ and with the Holy Spirit. . . . . the life of prayer is the habit of being in the presence of the thrice-holy God and in communion with Him” (no. 2565).

Pray and Never Lose Heart

In the Gospel of today’s Mass, our Divine Lord teaches His disciples the necessity of constancy in one’s prayer life by means of a parable. “Pray always, without losing heart,” He says to them. In the parable, the persistent widow elicits a favorable judgment from the unjust judge, not because he was convinced or moved by the rightness of her cause—but because of her constancy, her persistence.

Jesus draws from this story a comparison between God and the unjust judge. He states:

Listen to what the corrupt judge had to say. Will not God then do justice to His chosen who call out to Him day and night? Will He delay long over them, do you suppose? I tell you, He will give them swift justice.

My brothers and sisters, the point is abundantly clear. Almighty God does listen—He is listening. He wants us to pray—to pray always and never lose heart. Why? Not because He doesn’t know what we need, but so that the more we ask something of Him, the more the desire for that good will grow in our hearts and souls. And receiving that good from Him, the more grateful we will be—the more willing we will be to offer Him thanksgiving, worship, and adoration.

Common Prayer and Private Prayer

To pray well—to develop this notion of constancy in our spiritual lives—involves a lot of work and dedication on our part. It involves a commitment to the common prayer—the liturgy and devotions of the Church—and it involves a commitment and dedication to private prayer.

A dedication to common prayer involves attending Mass each Sunday, receiving the sacraments, and taking part in the approved prayer life of the Church. Common prayer means that we gather together as pilgrims in the Church, and we journey together into the divine mystery that the liturgy opens us up to.

Common prayer is not a celebration of the community—it does not mean that we assemble to adulate and exalt each other. It means that we come together to worship and give thanks to God. Our communal focus is on Him, and not ourselves, when we gather for the Mass or the other liturgies of the Church.

Private prayer is just that—private. It is when we speak to God personally, baring our souls to Him, offering Him prayers and devotions for our personal needs. Private prayer is the time when we can most fully be ourselves—because we are alone, before the one who created us and knows us better than anyone. Private prayer is like speaking to your best friend—who you know you can always trust—who will always give you an honest appraisal. Private prayer in the life of a Catholic must be daily prayer—there is no way we can expect to survive in today’s world without it!

Never Forget the Rosary

My brothers and sisters, in this present month of October, which the Church traditionally refers to as the month of the Holy Rosary, we might want to try and renew our devotion to the Rosary, which is an example of both communal and private prayer. It is a tried and true form of prayer that relies on set rhythms and familiar prayers in order to sanctify our busy, wandering minds. When all else fails in the prayer life of a Catholic, we always know that we can pull out the Rosary and that somehow this will count. Why? Because the Rosary pulls our souls into the contemplation of the mysteries of Christ’s life—a life we hope to imitate, the life we want to become.

Father Michael Caridi is a priest of the Diocese of Pittsburgh. He received degrees in both Systematic and Dogmatic Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. Currently, he is assigned as Pastor of Saint Joseph Parish in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania.

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