Patience and persistence. These two things are keys to the life of prayer. In today’s reading from Exodus, we hear the incredible story of how Joshua went to war against the Amalekites. While they fought, Moses prayed with his staff raised. ‘As long as Moses kept his arms raised, Israel had the advantage,’ we hear (Ex 17:11). Moses realised how much depended on his prayers, and he stood firm. Do we realise how much depends on our prayers? Are we aware of the spiritual battle going on all around us? Prayer is not just about us. Prayer is also intercession; it is a summons to engage in a struggle we cannot see, the outcome of which we do not know the details of. It is a summons to have faith in the goodness and justice of God. After his teaching on persistence in prayer, Jesus concludes with a challenging question: ‘But when the Son of man comes, will he find faith on earth?’ (Lk 18:8). Persistence is an outgrowth of faith. But when our prayer flags, so does our faith. Today, let us be like Moses and the suffering widow in Christ’s parable. Let us pray as if people depend on it. Image A: 🎨 The Right Hand of Saint Francis, by Daniel Bonnell. (fb)

Today we celebrate St Luke the Evangelist, whose gospel gives voice to those pushed to the margins. By tradition, St Luke was known as a physician, artist and talented storyteller. While don’t know exactly who he was, what is certain is that his gospel centres the poor, the excluded, and the stranger. The shepherds are the first to hear the good news of Jesus; women are named as leaders and witnesses; the wealthy are challenged to share, and the lost are welcomed home. Luke’s vision is of diverse people coming together, building communities of justice rather than empire. That message spoke to vulnerable communities two thousand years ago, and it speaks just as urgently today. His gospel continues to offer comfort and show that God's kingdom is built on compassion. 🎨 St Luke, by Giorgio Vasari. (fb)