Keep On Keeping On

Jesus told his disciples a parable
about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary. 
He said, "There was a judge in a certain town
who neither feared God nor respected any human being. 
And a widow in that town used to come to him and say,
'Render a just decision for me against my adversary.'
For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought,
'While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being
because this widow keeps bothering me
I shall deliver a just decision for her
lest she finally come and strike me.'" 
The Lord said, "Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says. 
Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones
who call out to him day and night? 
Will he be slow to answer them? 
I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily. 
But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"

We have to keep praying for what we need.  Asking once may not be enough.  In the parable, the judge keeps putting the woman off and she for her part does not give up.  I can imagine that every day the judge would be on his way to court, clutching his hot cup of Starbucks and his papers anxious to get on with another day of taking advantage of the law to line his pockets.  Then he passes this lady's house and out she comes, her mouth going at a hundred miles an hour and the breeze caused by her voice is cooling the hot caramel latte the judge is clutching in his hand. He swiftly walks by her and gets on with his day. The next day, he is confronted again by the lady, and on Wednesday yet again.  He rightly surmises that this issue is not going to go away and he knows that the case is really one that is open and shut, black letter law in her favor.  She is starting to be an annoyance and he is afraid that she will do him or his family harm.  So, he issues a ruling in favor of the woman just to shut her up.
Jesus is telling us that if an unjust judge can be badgered into doing his job and he has no fear of God or man, then your Father in heaven will rush to help you if you ask.  But we must be very persistent and faithful in our asking.  God loves us so very much that He will do everything He can to assure us a place in heaven.  Every grace and favor will be ours if we but ask.  We cannot do it alone and we were never meant to do it alone.  Even before the fall, God visited Adam and Eve in the garden in the cool of the evening.  He wants to help us so all we have to do is ask.

Please remember the Poor Souls in Purgatory in your prayers today.  They need our help and will remember those that help them.  Besides, as they are perhaps one day we shall be!