29th Sunday in Ordinary Time - persistence

http://usccb.org/bible/readings/102013.cfm

Quick recap:
1st reading - Exodus - Joshua was successful against Amalek when Moses raised his arms
Psalm 121 - Our help is from the Lord, who made Heaven and earth.
Epistle - 2 Timothy - be faithful and persistent
Gospel - Luke 18 - story of dishonest judge and widow, and how persistence is part of prayer

 Persistence in prayer.  How hard do we work for something we want?  If it becomes hard, or we don't see the result we expect, do we keep trying?  More often than not, we quit.  Maybe we rethink our 'need' and realize we don't wish to exchange our time and effort for that 'thing'.  However, my personal experience is that if it is hard, if it requires commitment, if it takes time, two things are true:  it's not easy and persistence is a must.  I can't achieve this goal overnight.  The same is true in prayer.  We are called to cultivate an ongoing relationship with God through prayer.  While God always welcomes us, it's usually a little easier if we have more than a passing acquaintance with God when we pray.

I think prayer and healthy living go hand in hand.  If we only workout occasionally, or we don't eat our fruits and vegetables regularly, our health will be affected.  Our bodies will be sluggish, and if we suddenly had to perform extended physical efforts, it would be very difficult.  So, consider prayer as another healthy lifestyle; if we only pray at Church on Sunday, how much stamina will our prayer life have when it comes to a spiritual challenge?  We all have those unexpected bumps which seem to hit us out of nowhere.  How much better prepared is your body when you strive for a consistent, PERSISTENT plan of exercise and healthy eating?  Ditto for your soul.

Side note:  remember that we should not judge the effectiveness of our prayer based on whether or not OUR expected result was received.  Prayer is communication with God and it should be honest and sincere.  God desires to know us intimately.  God hears our prayers, and the more we pray, the closer we grow to God.

Prayer -  God, you desire a relationship with me.  Help me to be persistent in prayer, especially when I don't 'feel' like it.  The best way to know someone is through relationship, and my prayer time should be highly valued so that I can come to know You.