Homily for the Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

Why Pray Persistently?

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Homily for the Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

Church of St. Bridget of Minneapolis, MN

Sunday, October 19, 2025

The command to pray always is found throughout the Bible. In the Old Testament, we see it in Abraham’s persistent petition on behalf of the people of Sodom (Genesis 18:22-33). In the New Testament, we hear it in Jesus’ powerful teaching: “Ask, and it will be given to you, seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you” (Luke 11:9). We also see it in the story of the Syrophoenician woman (Mark 7:24-30). And in the parable of the persistent widow, which is part of today’s Gospel (Luke 18:1-8), we hear the Lord urging us to pray “always without becoming weary.” Praying should be like breathing, meaning something we cannot do without. It should also be easy. 

But what is prayer? Prayer is an act of trust in someone other than myself. But why should we pray? First, we pray because Jesus commands us to pray, and Jesus himself prayed. All the saints, from the first century to the present day, have prayed. The great St. Paul says in Ephesians 6:18, “Keep on praying in the Spirit.”

Second, prayer is a way of serving, worshiping, and obeying God. It is an act of humility and the most practical way to demonstrate one’s faith, faithfulness, and loyalty. To pray is to say, “Look, I am not all-powerful; I am not a self-sufficient being; I am not perfect, I am not omniscient and omnibenevolent. But there is Someone, God, who is all that. Therefore, I run to Him; I submit to Him; I commit my life and everything about me to Him. 

Third, we pray because God intends prayer to be the means of obtaining favors from Him. No one goes through life without facing tough times. Either trouble comes to us, or we dabble in it. When it happens, we look for answers, including turning to God in prayer. 

Fourth, we pray for the strength to overcome temptation, find peace and calm, seek wisdom and guidance from God, experience spiritual renewal, confess our sins, and do God’s will. We pray for physical, emotional, and spiritual healing, and to show our gratitude to God. We pray for the assurance of God's protection. We pray in preparation for major decisions (Luke 6:12-13), to overcome demonic barriers (Matthew 17:14-21), and to gain strength to resist temptation (Matthew 26:41). We pray to be saved. 

Now, what happens when you don’t pray? First, your relationship with God will begin to cool—not because God has moved, but because you have moved away from Him. Your passion for the Lord grows cold, and once it does, flies start to gather. You leave yourself open to evil spirits. Evil spirits look for cold temples to inhabit. Second, you become more worldly. Your thoughts, decisions, and actions will be influenced by secular standards, emotions, flesh, and logic instead of the Spirit of the Lord. Third, you begin to place your confidence in yourself, your finances, others, or material possessions instead of in God. You may think things are going well, but time and again, we are reminded that no one, no matter how accomplished, can be trusted wholeheartedly. Fourth, your discernment and judgment will suffer. You begin to rationalize and make excuses for what God and the Church call evil. What used to trouble your conscience no longer moves you. Moral failure no longer grieves you. Fifth, when you stop praying, you unknowingly declare whose side you are on—that it is no longer the true and living God. You sign a secret agreement with the Devil, the great Scatterer and Adversary, to oppress you. You open the door to affliction. Sixth, when you stop praying, you could lose your way and become weighed down with fear, anxiety, and stress. When that happens, you lose the peace and joy you once had in the Lord. Seventh, you risk sacrificing your salvation. 

Sisters and brothers, do not become weary of praying. I tell you, it’s necessary. Your sisters and brothers need it. Your country needs it. The world needs prayer. If Christians stop praying, everything in the world will fall apart. I tell you, you don’t want to live in a world where no one is standing in the gap for the nations of the world. Our Lord Jesus Christ wants us “to pray always without becoming weary.” 

God bless you!