Reflection for Sunday, October 16, 2016 by Louise Lafond

Reflection for Sunday, October 16, 2016 by Louise Lafond 

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

For printable Version: Reflection – October 16, 2016

 

Persistence and patience. If there was an essence that I could extract from today’s readings, it would be persistence and patience.

The journey of faith appears to be an easy road from the outset, most of us were born into Catholic families and may have attended Catholic schools, so the question of faith was more like a progression from one sacrament to the next: anointing and baptism, reconciliation, first communion and confirmation. However, even from the beginning, at your baptism, especially if you were lucky enough to have it happen within a Eucharistic celebration, we are all asked to support you and your parents as you begin your faith journey.

At that moment, all is possible, and we are engaged as a community in a celebratory moment; but what do we do when it gets harder? When we are faced with the inevitable challenges that come with living the gift of life that we have, what do we do?

Moses was at the apex of his power with the Israelites and had Aaron and Hur to hold up his hands; but who was there for the widow, the most marginalized of people in her society? Only her persistence and the annoyed pity of a judge who cared nothing for or about her.

We are not so far from our traditions ancestors: It is easy to watch on television the heroic athletics of the Olympics and Para-Olympics and cheer on our favourite athlete or team to victory or defeat knowing that they have put a lot of time and effort to get where they are in their sport and are supported in the moment by family and coaches on the sidelines. On the other hand, who was there to support the efforts of the establishment of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women’s inquiry? It was the

persistence and patience of many indigenous people and their allies, not the spirit and will of the entire nation cheering them on.

Jesus came to speak truth to power, to dissuade us of our notions of what or who is important. Our challenge is to think, reflect and pray for that clarity to be able to discern how to best lift the arms and be an advocate for the widows and the creation around us. God gives us this clarity through prayer: be persistent, be patient, and be consoled, your prayers are answered.

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