David

As church-people, we may think we know what it means to worship God. After all, we go to church, say some prayers, pay our dues, and try to live a decent life. Indeed, all this is well and good. But God asks something more of us. Do we think the good things we do in life arise from our own virtue? Do we find ourselves somewhat judgmental and intolerant of those who don’t quite live up to our standards?arked: “Those who travel the high road of humility in Washington DC are not bothered by heavy traffic!”

The determined widow in this week’s parable encourages us to persist in prayer. She was not
deterred by the judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. Instead, she
demonstrates what St Therese of Liseux described as a “surge of the heart”: a trust and
confidence in God who knows what we need and who draws close to us.

How often have you encouraged your young children to say ‘thank you’ after they are given something? Saying ‘thank you’ is a common courtesy that is used almost without thinking. Yet it’s much more than a courtesy.