This morning we celebrated our semi-annual Mass of Anointing, celebrating the communal Sacrament of the Sick which used to be called Extreme Unction but has been expanded to all of us who are not dying but who feel the need of God’s healing love. Over a hundred people attended and took part in this very moving sacrament. As I sat to write this homily and listened to scripture readings that speak to us about the importance of persistence in prayer, I was taken back to another biblical story about the mother who was not a Jew but who persistently asked Jesus to heal her very ill child. She kept after Jesus until He finally relented and healed her daughter.
    As we reflect on this whole notion of persistence in the scriptures, what comes through is the depth of faith of these people who kept at it until they were sure God heard their prayers.
    At times most of us feel that God is not listening; that what we ask for is ignored and we are left on our own. How often for example in the Old Testament did the ancient Israelites feel that God had abandoned them, that He  led them out into the desert and left them there to die. But it was the faith of Moses their leader that was persistent and continually asked for God’s understanding and help throughout that journey of forty years. We know that that persistence payed off and God ultimately led them into the Promised Land.
    The poor widow in today’s Gospel story is alone without any advocate in that society. So she was persistent in her demands for justice from the unjust judge who ultimately relented and ruled in her favor.
    In life persistent people can sometimes be annoying and described as nagging. But Jesus tells us that God sees our persistence differently – rather as an expression of abiding  and constant  faith.
    So let’s always turn to God in our need and know that our persistent prayer and desire for God’s help is never seen as annoying but as a sign of constancy in our faith.