Memorial of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin
Today is the Memorial of Saint Francis Xavier Cabrini, an Italian American Nun who lived from 1850 to 1917 and spent her life tirelessly serving immigrants and the poor. She was no stranger to chaotic times. Mother Cabrini said of her times: "The world is poisoned with erroneous theories…" This can certainly be said about our own times as well. For Mother Cabrini, changing minds and hearts and finding new solutions to deep seated problems always begins with prayer that is grounded in faith.
In today's Gospel, Jesus gives us the parable about the widow who goes to a judge over and over again seeking justice against her adversary. The judge, indifferent to anyone or anything except his own interests, repeatedly rejects her requests. Eventually, worn down by her persistent nagging, he gives in to her request.
While Jesus tell us we must 'pray always without becoming weary', the Gospel passage ends with a question:
"When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" Prayer always involves faith. Faith is what gives fire and power to our prayer. Faith is what enables us to be persistent, bold, and relentless in our prayer. Faith is what carries us through when prayer is dry and dark and requires great effort.
In our society, we expect quick fixes and easy solutions. But that does not work for the deep seated structural and societal problems we face today. We need something completely new but we cannot conjure the long-term solutions on our own. We need God. As Mother Cabrini says, "They who pray with faith have fervour and fervour is the fire of prayer. This mysterious fire has the power of consuming all our faults and imperfections, and of giving to our actions, vitality, beauty and merit." Where there is no prayer there is no conversion. Without conversion we cannot hope to change the world. We need the inspired, creative action of the Holy Spirit. And it requires prayer…prayer that is grounded in faith. Prayer that pleads with faith and fervor. We must ask God to increase our faith. May we be willing to face the darkness and mystery of prayer, waiting and listening for the voice of the Spirit that will lead us.
Gail Lyman