The Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods are a community of vowed Catholic women religious. Inspired by our foundress Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, we are passionate about our lives of prayer, education, service and advocacy.
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Exodus 17:8-13; Psalms 121:1-8; 2 Timothy 3:14-4; Luke 18:1-8
The Scriptures for this Sunday tell stories of the faithfulness of God to his people, and our responsibility to understand and live our commitment to faith and justice in our family, our community and our country.
Reflection
Nothing is like a great war story to start the day, as we note in the Exodus reading! Amalek brought his forces to attack the Israelites, and the forces of Moses were no match for them. Moses told Joshua to assemble troops. Moses went up on top of the mountain with “the staff of God in my hand. Aaron and Hur went with him. Joshua did what Moses ordered and they engaged Amalek’s forces in battle. To encourage his men, Moses lifted his hands in prayer; his troops were successful. When he lowered his hands from exhaustion, his troops failed. Aaron and Hur devised a scheme. They found a big rock for Moses to sit on, and the two of them lifted his arms for his troops to see. It worked. Joshua and his troops mowed down Amalek’s forces.
The Responsorial Psalm tells us how they won the battle: I lift my eyes to the mountains; when shall help come to me? My help is from the Lord who made heaven and earth. May he not suffer your foot to slip; may he guard you day and night. The Lord is your shade; beside you at your right hand. The Lord will guard your coming in and your going out, both now and forever. “Our God is faithful.”
Timothy gives us some serious suggestions to be ready to be faithful, active participants in the Christian life. Some of us are born into the life of faith, and the Scripture you know has given you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Scripture inspires us to be able to teach, to question and correct. It trains us in knowing the how of living faithfully, so that we might be” competent, equipped for every good work. “Proclaim the word; be persistent, whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.”
In the Gospel, Jesus tells us a parable about faith and justice: a story of a corrupt judge and a simple woman who demanded justice. She had no resources, but she believed she was right and could overcome. She had faith in her God. She was persistent, as Timothy taught us in the first reading. The judge finally relented, not because he wanted to help her, but he thought she would possibly harm him. Jesus reads the hearts of both, saying, “Will God not secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? I tell you that justice is done for them speedily.” Timothy’s words reverberate here: “Proclaim the word; be persistent, whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.”
Action
What examples of God’s faithfulness can I draw from my own life? How persistent am I in proclaiming God’s word? Does this parable ask us to question our motives?
Sister Ann Sullivan, SP, has been a Sister of Providence since 1964. Her primary ministry through those years has been teaching, grades one through graduate level. She presently ministers as a consultant. She has also ministered as director of a mental health center and was founding director of White Violet Center for Eco-Justice.
In her free time you will find Sister Ann enjoying nature in as many ways as possible, especially working in a large perennial and a small vegetable garden. She also values time with family and friends.
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Your reflection questions are a good “examination of conscience.” Too good. Yesterday’s No Kings rallies were sure examples of persistence.