FIRST READING
There appeared an unhindered way out of the Red Sea, and they leaped like lambs.
A reading from the Book of Wisdom (Wisdom 18:14-16; 19:6-9)
While gentle silence enveloped all things, and night in its swift course was now half gone, your all-powerful word leaped from heaven, from the royal throne, into the midst of the land that was doomed, a stem warrior carrying the sharp sword of your authentic command, and stood and filled all things with death, and touched heaven while standing on the earth. For the whole creation in its nature was fashioned anew, complying with your commands, that your children might be kept unharmed. The cloud was seen overshadowing the camp, and dry land emerging where water had stood before, an unhindered way out of the Red Sea, and a grassy plain out of the raging waves, where those protected by your hand passed through as one nation, after gazing on marvellous wonders. For they ranged like horses, and leaped like lambs, praising you, O Lord, who delivered them.
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 105:2-3, 36-37, 42-43 (R/. 5a)
R/. Remember the wonders the Lord has done.
Or: Alleluia.
O sing to him, sing his praise;
tell all his wonderful works!
Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice. R/.
He struck all the firstborn in their land,
the first fruit of all their strength.
He led out Israel with silver and gold.
In his tribes were none who stumbled. R/.
R/. Remember the wonders the Lord has done.
Or: Alleluia.
For he remembered his holy word,
spoken to Abraham his servant.
So he brought out his people with joy,
his chosen ones with shouts of rejoicing. R/.
ALLELUIA 2 Thessalonians 2:14
Alleluia. God has called us through the Gospel, to obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
“God will vindicate his elect, who cry to him.”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Luke 18:1-8)
At that time: Jesus told his disciples a parable, to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor regarded man; and there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Vindicate me against my adversary.’ “For a while he refused; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow bothers me, I will vindicate her, or she will wear me out by her continual coming.”’ And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God vindicate his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will vindicate them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
The Gospel of the Lord.
TODAY’S REFLECTION
Persistence is a sign of strong faith. Today, unfortunately, this quality seems lacking in many Christians. Many who call themselves Christian run from one prayer house to another, change churches faster and oftener than they can keep track of, and sometimes dabble in fetishism and various cults, all because they expect immediate answers to their prayers. Such people have little or no confidence in God and thus have no patience to wait when he seems to delay. Jesus expects us to have child-like confidence and trust in him and remain steadfast in prayer. When we do this, we can be sure that he will never fail us, for he never fails those who trust in him.