Perseverance In Prayer Series

To Listen to Him... Bishop Arulselvam Rayappan

The Parables on Perseverance in Prayer

We all know that our first Christian duty is to pray, and the best form of prayer is through the Eucharistic Celebration in which we participate today.

This year, Luke's Gospel is in a special way called "The Gospel of Prayer." Jesus is portrayed as praying more often in this Gospel than in the others. At important moments, He prays: for instance, before beginning His ministry, before choosing the disciples, on the Mount of Transfiguration, and during His moments of intense agony. Jesus was praying to the extent that the disciples, after seeing Him, requested, "Lord, teach us also to pray," and then the beautiful prayer, Our Father, was taught by Jesus.

A few weeks ago, we heard about the parable of a friend at midnight going and knocking at the door of his friend because he had an unexpected guest for whom he had nothing to offer. Jesus taught us that we have to pray with perseverance.

Last week, it was about the parable of the Widow and the Unjust Judge. The judge was not afraid of God, and he did not respect men. But this woman kept asking him. He said, "She's torturing me, putting me into difficulty; she is a nuisance." Jesus said, so the judge did all that she wanted. If that is the case with the unjust judge, how much more will God grant your prayer?

The Parable on Humility in Prayer

Today, we have heard another Parable on prayer. Jesus says it's not enough to pray with perseverance; you must also pray with humility.

We heard a Pharisee praying. In those short two verses, five times he says, "I, I, I." The Pharisee thought that God must be grateful to him. "Lord, I thank you," he said, but then, "for what? I'm not like that fellow; I'm not like the sinners; I'm not like the extortioners; especially, I'm not like the fellow standing over there, the tax collector." The true prayer is to thank the Lord for all that the Lord has given to you. Do not compare yourself with people, thinking that you are more righteous.

Today's Gospel began like this: "Some of them are thinking that they are the most perfect, and all others are wicked." Jesus said, "Do not think like that." You know, in John, Chapter 8, we read about the woman caught in adultery. All of them were ready to find fault with Jesus, asking Him, "What do you say?" They wanted to trap Jesus. If He says, "You can stone her to death because she was caught in adultery," they will say, "Jesus is without mercy, no compassion." If He says, "Leave her free," they will say, "Jesus is tolerating all kinds of wickedness." But then Jesus answered, "The one who has no sin, let him be the first to cast the first stone at her." Jesus proved to them that they are more wicked than that woman caught in adultery.

Here also, this man (the Pharisee) is comparing himself with others. My dear brothers and sisters, sometimes it happens: "Oh, that man is doing this, this man is doing that; I am much better." Our point of comparison is Jesus our Lord Himself. If Jesus were in your place, would He do it? Do not say, "Very good," to yourself because you are better than some of the people. We need to follow the Gospel. Do I follow the Gospel? Let us not worry about others; let's worry about ourselves only. "I do this, I do this, I do this." The Lord says at the end, the Pharisee's prayer was not heard.

But the other person, the Tax Collector, he says, "Lord, have mercy on me, I am a sinner." Today, that should be our prayer, my prayer, all of our prayer, my dear brothers and sisters: "Lord, have mercy on me."

The Necessity of Humility

Elsewhere we heard Saint Paul saying, "What is it you have that you have not received? And if everything you have is what you have received, why do you boast?" There is nothing to boast. We are all receiving grace upon grace only from God. If you study well, it is because of God's grace; God has given you intelligence. If you are enjoying good health, it is because of God's abundant favors. If you have a decent job, it is because of God. We need to be grateful; we need to be humble.

Most of the quarrels come in the family—why? Because we are not humble. What is humility? I always say my own definition: Humility is the recognition that we need God and we need others.

Above all, we need God. What is the use of accumulating money? Suddenly, you become sick, which is incurable. You need God. Don't forget God. What is the use of being arrogant? We need our brothers and sisters, our parents, our grandparents.