The Priest is Not Isolated in His Prayer at the Altar

The First Reading from Exodus is explicit: "Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed; and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed." This is precisely the drama embodied by the priest at the altar. When he extends his hands in the orans position, he stands in the place of Moses, but the symbolism deepens, for Moses’ posture itself is a prefigurement of Christ's arms outstretched on the Cross. The priest, therefore, also stands in persona Christi, making present the ultimate act of intercession. His raised arms are not only a sign of dependence like Moses, but a participation in the very sacrifice of Christ, which secured the definitive victory over sin and death. He is not praying for himself alone, but for the entire congregation, channeling the grace that flows from the Cross.

Furthermore, just as Moses was not left alone, the priest is not isolated in his prayer. He is supported by the entire Body of Christ. The assembly, the "people of God," are his Aaron and Hur, and also his Simon of Cyrene, helping him bear the weight of his sacred duty. Their "Amens," their silent prayers, and their active participation in the liturgy are the spiritual forces that uphold him, preventing his prayer from faltering. The orans posture is therefore a living icon of the entire Church at prayer: a leader interceding in a way that echoes both Moses on the hill and Christ on the Cross, supported by a faithful community, all dependent on God's grace to prevail. It is a powerful reminder that in the great spiritual battle, and just as Mary and John stood by the Cross, we must stand by and offer our prayers for the priest.

Influential People or Leaders of the Past 1000 years

An A&E survey of the top ten most influential people or leaders of the past 1000 years yielded the following list: 10) Galileo; 9) Copernicus; 8) Albert Einstein; 7) Karl Marx; 6) Christopher Columbus; 5) William Shakespeare; 4) Charles Darwin; 3) Martin Luther; 2) Isaac Newton; 1) Johann Gutenberg.  Without exception, each one of the remarkable persons named by the survey met with total resistance, complete rejection, and absolute failure whenever he attempted to impress his unique new visions upon the world in which he lived. Despite the fact that these individuals represent diverse insights and radical advancements in science, politics, literature, religion, and technology, they’re all tied together by a common trait. Each of these historically exalted individuals was widow-like in persistence, exhibiting unfailing endurance in the face of seemingly insurmountable opposition. — But the parable that Jesus gives in today’s Gospel is not just about persistence. It’s about persistence coupled with prayer. When you yoke persistence with prayer, you get revolution. 

Now Thank We All Our God

The movie Heartland dramatizes the story of rugged prairie life in the early 1900’s. A widow named Elinore Randall answers an ad to become a housekeeper for Clyde Stewart, a taciturn cattle homesteader in Burntfork, Wyoming. After a rocky beginning, their relationship smoothes out and they eventually get married, partly out of economic convenience and partly out of deep human needs. Together they heroically endure the hardships of a stubborn soil that yields little food, freezing winter winds that decimate their herd, and the death of their new born little boy. In the climax of the story, Clyde Stewart has given up on the cattle ranch and begins to pack their belongings. But Elinore won’t let him quit. She pleads and bargains with him not to abandon their dream. Her tenacity triumphs when a calf is born, a sign of a new beginning, new life and new hope. Clyde finally agrees to stay and give the ranch one more try.

Elinore’s persistence and faith are comparable to the widow’s in today’s parable. The widow kept coming to the judge for her rights and eventually wore him out. Jesus uses her as an example of praying always and not losing heart.

(Albert Cylwicki in His Word Resounds)

Perseverance of Wilma Rudolf

Wilma didn’t get much of a head-start in life. Wilma Glodean Rudolph was born prematurely at 4.5 lbs., the 20th of 22 siblings; her father Ed was a railway porter and her mother Blanche a maid. Rudolph contracted infantile paralysis (caused by the polio virus) at age four. She recovered, but wore a brace on her left leg and foot (which had become twisted as a result of the polio), until she was nine. She was required to wear an orthopedic shoe for support of her foot for another two years.

At age 12 Wilma tried out for a girls’ basketball team, but didn’t make it. Determined, she practiced with a girlfriend and two boys every day. The next year she made the team. When a college track coach saw her during a game, he talked her into letting him train her as a runner.

By age 14 she had outrun the fastest sprinters in the U.S. In 1956 Wilma made the U.S. Olympic team, but showed poorly. That bitter disappointment motivated her to work harder for the 1960 Olympics in Rome — and there Wilma Rudolph won three gold medals, the most a woman had ever won.

The widow in today’s Gospel story might have been her source of inspiration.

Today in the Word, Moody Bible Institute, (Jan, 1992), p.10