THE PERSISTENT CHILD
“Will not God then do justice to his chosen who call out to him day and night?” – Luke 18:7
When
my teenage daughter asks permission for something and I’d say no, she
would repeatedly, continually and incessantly, say, “Please, Mom” until
I’d eventually give in.
It
was after one of our “tougher-than-ahostage- crisis” negotiation that
the parable of the persistent widow came to mind. I understood what the
judge meant when he said that he might as well give in before she drove
him crazy with her persistence. But what became crystal clear to me was
when Jesus said, “But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on
the earth?” That’s when I decided to talk to my daughter.
I
told her that when she pleads her case until I change my mind, it’s
like she doesn’t trust my judgment as a mother who knows what’s best for
her. If she believes that I love her, then she should trust that I
desire only what’s best for her. That ended our arm twisting episodes.
God
tells us to pray unceasingly. But our prayer should always give way to
His will. We can only give in to someone whom we trust and love. When
everything in our life is falling apart and our prayers seem to go
unheard, it’s time to pray, “Lord, I surrender.” Ronna Ledesma (ronnaledesma@email.com)
17
REFLECTION:
Prayer is the way to align yourself with God’s will, not to get what you want.
Abba Father, teach me to trust in You with all of my heart, that I may not lean on my own understanding.
St. Elizabeth of Hungary, religious, pray for us.
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