A Reflection on Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Luke 18:1-8
From Fr. Eric Asamoah

“I urge every Catholic parish in the world to take part in World Mission Sunday,” Pope Leo said, underscoring, “Your prayers, your support will help spread the Gospel, provide for pastoral and catechetical programs, help to build new churches, and care for the health and educational needs of our brothers and sisters in mission territories.” (Pope Leo XIV, World Mission Sunday, 2025)

Our missionary zeal should be that of the poor widow in today’s Gospel, a call to persistent evangelization. She was filled with determination and courage. Her persistence wears down the judge’s resistance. If an unjust judge is persuaded by the widow’s persistence, think of how our merciful God will be open to hearing our own cries for help.

St Paul’s second letter to Timothy puts it so nicely, telling us to “remain faithful to what you have learned and believed,” and hence the need to be persistent in our ministry of the Word whether it is convenient or inconvenient.

In the first reading, Moses’ hands remain raised, a nice image of prayer, then all is well with the Israelites, but when they drop, the result is the opposite.

The presence of Aaron and Hur supporting Moses’ hands teaches us communal prayerful perseverance. Our personal prayer life is vital, but I believe that it is important that we never forget that we are part of a community of faith as the Church. Our communal prayer is vital as well. We build up and support each other, particularly in our more difficult moments in life. Even when we are not aware of others’ prayers for us, they matter and help us in our need.

Let us then continue to burn with holy zeal, for a new era of evangelization, bringing hope to a world overshadowed by dark shadows, and to be a community of hope by letting the Spirit guide our actions. God bless you for supporting the missionary activities of the Church all over the world.