October 20, 2013

Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 147
Reading 1 EX 17:8-13

In those days, Amalek came and waged war against Israel.

The people of Amalek waged war against the people of Israel.

Moses, therefore, said to Joshua,
"Pick out certain men,
and tomorrow go out and engage Amalek in battle.

So, Moses commanded Joshua to lead some handpicked warriors in battle against Amalek.

I will be standing on top of the hill
with the staff of God in my hand."

While Moses stood on top of the hill with God's staff in his hand.  The same staff which he used to separated the waters of the Red Sea.

So Joshua did as Moses told him:
he engaged Amalek in battle
after Moses had climbed to the top of the hill with Aaron and Hur.

So Joshua did as he was told and after Moses climbed the hill, engaged Amalek.

As long as Moses kept his hands raised up,
Israel had the better of the fight,

When Moses had his hands high, Israel would win the fight.

but when he let his hands rest,
Amalek had the better of the fight.

But when his hands fell low, Amalek would begin to win.

Moses’hands, however, grew tired;
so they put a rock in place for him to sit on.
Meanwhile Aaron and Hur supported his hands,
one on one side and one on the other,
so that his hands remained steady till sunset.

So, Aaron, his brother and Hur another Israelite, held his hands high.

And Joshua mowed down Amalek and his people
with the edge of the sword.

And Joshua destroyed Amalek and his people.

Responsorial Psalm PS 121:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8

R. (cf. 2) Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
I lift up my eyes toward the mountains;
whence shall help come to me?
My help is from the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.

R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
May he not suffer your foot to slip;
may he slumber not who guards you:
indeed he neither slumbers nor sleeps,
the guardian of Israel.

R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
The LORD is your guardian; the LORD is your shade;
he is beside you at your right hand.
The sun shall not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
The LORD will guard you from all evil;
he will guard your life.
The LORD will guard your coming and your going,
both now and forever.
R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

In everything, turn to God.  Every step you take, know that God is with you.  God sustains the whole creation in place and sustains all life.  Every hair on your head is counted.  Nothing that you do is unimportant to God.   Therefore, ask God for assistance in everything you do.

Reading 2 2 TM 3:14-4:2

St. Paul addresses St. Timothy,

Beloved:
Remain faithful to what you have learned and believed
because you know from whom you learned it,

He reminds him of the faith filled lessons which he received from his mother and grandmother (2 Tim 1:5).

and that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures,
which are capable of giving you wisdom for salvation
through faith in Christ Jesus.

And from a child, he was taught the Scriptures by his parents.

All Scripture is inspired by God

God inspired man to write the Scriptures, therefore, they are without error.

and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction,
and for training in righteousness,
so that one who belongs to God may be competent,
equipped for every good work.

And Teachers of the Christian faith will find the use of the Scriptures very useful in their endeavor to pass on the faith to righteous men.

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus,
who will judge the living and the dead,
and by his appearing and his kingly power:
proclaim the word;
be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient;
convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.

And so, St. Paul admonished St. Timothy to teach the faith of Jesus Christ continually, without rest.

Gospel LK 18:1-8

Jesus told his disciples a parable
about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary.

Jesus commanded us to pray without ceasing.

He said, "There was a judge in a certain town
who neither feared God nor respected any human being.

There was a certain judge who feared neither God nor man.

And a widow in that town used to come to him and say,
'Render a just decision for me against my adversary.'

But an elderly widow came to him and demanded a verdict in her favor.

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.'"

And since the widow was so persistent, the judge finally became weary and afraid that if he did not render the verdict in her favor, she might attack him.  So, he did.

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?

And so, the Lord says, "take a lesson from this evil judge.  Call out to God, the Just Judge continually and He will listen to you." 

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?"

He will not be slow to respond but will render justice to us immediately.