During the Exodus, after escaping from Egypt across the Red Sea, the Israelites frequently grumbled about God, who responded by giving them water, quail and manna. Then they were challenged by the Amelekites living between Palestine and Sinai. Moses needed a lot of human help to keep his arms up! But his persistence showed complete faith in God. They continued to quarrel and test the Lord, but he showed yet again that he will always look after them.
The Psalmist, full of confidence in the Lord, assures his companion he too may have total confidence in God.
Paul emphasises that Timothy, like Moses, must “be persistent” in proclaiming the word “whether it is convenient or inconvenient”. He describes the uses of scripture: “for teaching, for refuting error, for guidance and for teaching people to be holy”. For Paul, writing before the Gospels were written, “scripture” meant what we now call the Old Testament. So we need to persist in trying to understand the Jewish Scriptures.
Just before Jesus enters Jerusalem Luke gives us two parables about prayer. Today we hear how the persistent widow gets justice. Jesus assures us: God will “see justice done to his chosen who cry out to him day and night even when he delays to help them”.
Psalm Response: Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
(Ex 17:8-13 Ps 120(121) 2 Tim 3:14-4:2 Lk 18:1-8)