"PRAYER and FAITH challenge us to become faithful disciples" 
By Fr. Romy Seleccion, M.S.
29th Sunday in Ordinary Time (29C)
LUKE 18:1-8 


The gospel today unveils to us the power of prayer and faith.
PRAYER and FAITH challenge us to become faithful disciples
of Jesus as we celebrate MISSION SUNDAY today!

PRAYER is proclaimed in the first line of the gospel when it says: 

          “Jesus tells his disciples to PRAY always
          without becoming weary.”

And FAITH is articulated in the last words of the gospel
when Jesus asks the question to his disciples:

          “…when the Son of Man comes
          will he find FAITH on earth?”

PRAYER expresses and articulates our hope;
it connects us with God and intensifies our bond with him.
FAITH nourishes and reinforces our trust in God;
and it enlivens our relationship with him.

But the hard questions that always confront
and challenge us today are the following:
“DO WE PRAY? DO WE HAVE FAITH IN GOD?”

At times it is difficult for us to pray, and to have faith.
And the impact of modern technologies and twisted values
have to do about our difficulty to pray and have faith in God.

We live in a time when we expect instant action.
We have instant coffee, automatic garage door,
we have TV clicker, instant wife, on the spot husband.
Many things can be bought ready-made at a store.
We get what we desire without delay.

So, when we pray, we want immediate answer;
we want it now, not tomorrow, right now.
If not granted now, we are frustrated, disgusted,
we blame God and then we lost faith in him.

If we expect God’s immediate response when we pray,
we treat him like a vending machine which releases
whatever corresponds to the cash we drop in the slot
and the button we press.

And when we experience that our prayer is unproductive,
some of us will say, “God doesn’t love me, God doesn’t care.”

But God answers our prayer in his own time.
He whispers to our hearts:

          “My child, I hear your prayers.
          If I answer them, it is because I am increasing your faith.
          If I delay them, it is because I am increasing your patience.
          If I do not answer them, wait; I have something better for you.
          The BEST is always for you!”

If he BEST grace is always for us,
today, as we celebrate MISSION SUNDAY
and as a call to action of PRAYER and FAITH,
let us also give our BEST to the countless poor in the world
who desperately need our prayer and financial assistance.

Jesus needs you and me to bring HOPE to the poor;
and by sharing our treasures to the needy around the world,
we become the living presence of God’s love for them.
Then, we become the new missionaries of the Church
who fills the hearts of the poor with HOPE.

Listen to this mind-boggling story
of Blessed Teresa of Calcuta, when she said: 

     “I had the most extraordinary experience once in Bombay. 
     There was a big conference about hunger. I was supposed 
      to go to that meeting and I lost the way. Suddenly I came 
      to the place, and right in front of the door to where hundreds 
      of people were talking about food and hunger, I found
      a dying man. I took him out and took him home. He
      died there. He died of hunger. And the people inside
      were talking about how in 15 years we will have so much
      food… and that man died. See the difference?”

Don’t wait for someone to die, be there as a LIFE for them.
So, as you kneel down in Church today, let your faith
dig down in your heart the love of God which will allow you
to become a generous giver in our second collection today.

Like Blessed Teresa of Calcuta, touch a person with your love,
and God will touch your soul.

God bless you all! 

Fr. Romeo Seleccion, M.S.
Homily Theology Editor