Fr Paul Gooley reads from the Gospel of Luke (18: 1-8) in which Jesus tells the parable of the persistent widow to show his disciples that they should always pray and not give up.

Today’s gospel tells us of another thing that is very dear to Luke’s heart and that is prayer. It is the second time that Luke teaches about prayer and this time it’s about praying continually without getting tired.

Jesus uses the parable of the widow who pestered the judge. This is a real-life scenario that Jesus uses to make the point we must pray continually and not give up.

When we look at Jesus own life among us, he to prayed and insisted that his disciples also pray. Luke presents Jesus as a constant prayer. Luke’s Gospel contains over 18 events where Jesus is at prayer because for Jesus’ prayer is intimately linked to life and to the decisions he had to take. Prayer was staying in contact with his father so that he could do the fathers will.

Fr Paul says, let this gospel remind us of the need to pray and to pray continually.