Reflection
The first reading from the Book of Wisdom is a continuation of a poetic retelling of the Exodus story. The passage for today tells of God’s all-powerful Word who comes as a fierce swordsman at midnight to administer the tenth plague on Egypt.
Catholic tradition reads this Wisdom passage as a prophecy of the Incarnation of Christ, the eternal “Word” of the Father, who descended into the world and “dwelt among us” as a man.
This is echoed in Rev. 19:11-16 where Christ descends from heaven as “the Word of God” who executes judgement with a “sharp sword”.
The second part of this reading tells how God’s people were saved by passing through the Red Sea on “what had before been water” but how the pursuing Egyptians were destroyed. So are we saved through the waters of baptism which also destroys our spiritual enemies.
The Gospel reading from Luke is the first of two parables on prayer, this one teaching that we should pray constantly. Also embedded in this parable is an example of the power of prayer. The unjust judge who “neither fears God nor respected any human being” is moved to grant the petition of the persistent widow, the least powerful and most vulnerable in that society.
Of the three pillars of Christian life, prayer, fasting and almsgiving, only prayer are we commanded to practice “without ceasing”. Implicit in this is command to pray at any and all places.
The passage ends with Jesus linking prayer with faith. Prayer nourishes faith and faith grows when enlivened by prayer.
Today is also the Optional Memorial of St. Albert the Great, Bishop and Doctor of the Church, 13th Century Dominican, philosopher, and teacher of St. Thomas Aquinas.