1st Reading – Exodus 17:8-13

In those days, Amalek came and waged war against Israel.
Moses, therefore, said to Joshua,
“Pick out certain men,
and tomorrow go out and engage Amalek in battle. 
I will be standing on top of the hill
with the staff of God in my hand.” 
So Joshua did as Moses told him:
he engaged Amalek in battle
after Moses had climbed to the top of the hill with Aaron and Hur.
As long as Moses kept his hands raised up,
Israel had the better of the fight,
but when he let his hands rest,
Amalek had the better of the fight.
Moses’ hands, however, grew tired;
so they put a rock in place for him to sit on. 
Meanwhile Aaron and Hur supported his hands,
one on one side and one on the other,
so that his hands remained steady till sunset.
And Joshua mowed down Amalek and his people
with the edge of the sword.

The Book of Exodus recounts Israel’s deliverance from slavery in Egypt and God’s covenant with them at Mount Sinai. It tells the story of how the Lord formed his people, guided them through the wilderness, and taught them to rely on his presence and power.

In today’s first reading, we hear how God’s people prevailed in their desert battle with Amalek only as long as Moses kept his hands raised in prayer.

In those days, Amalek came and waged war against Israel.

Amalek refers to an ancient people, descendants of Esau’s grandson (Genesis 36:12), a historical enemy of Israel. Their territory lay along caravan routes between Arabia and Egypt.

This conflict is the first military activity of the newly freed Israelites. This specific battle may have been for control of water sources or pasturage for animals, both of which were precious commodities in the desert and a common reason for warfare.

Moses, therefore, said to Joshua, “Pick out certain men, and tomorrow go out and engage Amalek in battle.

This is the first mention of Joshua in scripture. As Moses’ chosen military leader, this story foreshadows his later role as the one who will lead Israel into the Promised Land.

I will be standing on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.”

The staff of God is presumably the same one used in Egypt (Exodus 4:2-4) and at the Red Sea (Exodus 14:16, 26-27), a visible sign of God’s saving power.

So Joshua did as Moses told him: he engaged Amalek in battle after Moses had climbed to the top of the hill with Aaron and Hur.

Moses and his brother Aaron confronted Pharaoh together and led the Israelites through the sea into the wilderness. Hur, according to tradition, was their nephew, the son of their sister Miriam.

Together, they accompany Moses as he intercedes for Israel.

As long as Moses kept his hands raised up, Israel had the better of the fight, but when he let his hands rest, Amalek had the better of the fight.

In Hebrew, yād can mean not only the physical hand but also power, authority, or strength. This scene is more than Moses lifting an arm; it symbolizes the power of God working through him, sustained in prayer.

Victory does not come from military might alone, but from God, whose power is mediated through his servant.

Moses’ hands, however, grew tired; so they put a rock in place for him to sit on. Meanwhile Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other, so that his hands remained steady till sunset.

Although Moses is God’s chosen leader of his people, he cannot do everything alone. The shared effort of Moses, Aaron, Hur, and Joshua shows how God’s people must work together — through prayer, leadership, and action — for his purposes to be fulfilled.

And Joshua mowed down Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

Israel’s victory is presented as God’s deliverance, not human achievement.

The Old Testament often describes warfare in stark terms, but Catholic teaching emphasizes that God revealed himself gradually and progressively. He worked within the culture and limitations of the ancient Near East, where warfare and tribal conflict were taken for granted. God entered into history as it was, guiding his people step by step toward the fullness of revelation that would come in Christ.

The Old Testament is an indispensable part of Sacred Scripture. Its books are divinely inspired and retain a permanent value… even though they contain matters imperfect and provisional” (Catechism of the Catholic Church 121-123).

Thus, the Church understands these accounts spiritually: Israel’s battles foreshadow the Christian struggle against sin and evil, where victory is achieved through perseverance in prayer and reliance on God’s strength.

2nd Reading – 2 Timothy 3:14-4:2

Beloved:
Remain faithful to what you have learned and believed,
because you know from whom you learned it,
and that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures,
which are capable of giving you wisdom for salvation
through faith in Christ Jesus.
All Scripture is inspired by God
and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction,
and for training in righteousness,
so that one who belongs to God may be competent,
equipped for every good work.

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus,
who will judge the living and the dead,
and by his appearing and his kingly power:
proclaim the word;
be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient;
convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.

As he continues to instruct Timothy (bishop of the church at Ephesus), Paul exhorts Timothy to remain rooted in the Scriptures and to carry out his mission of proclaiming the Word.

Beloved: Remain faithful to what you have learned and believed, because you know from whom you learned it, and that from infancy you have known the sacred scriptures,

Paul reminds Timothy of his spiritual heritage. Timothy has been taught scripture from childhood, likely by his Jewish mother and grandmother (cf. 2 Timothy 1:5).

In Paul’s time, “the sacred scriptures” referred to the Old Testament. Most of the New Testament writings were only beginning to circulate.

which are capable of giving you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

The Old Testament finds its fulfillment in Christ. Read in the light of the Paschal Mystery (Christ’s passion, death, resurrection, and ascension), the Scriptures lead to salvation through faith in Jesus.

This does not render the Old Testament obsolete but shows its permanent value as part of God’s plan of revelation.

All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that one who belongs to God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

Paul affirms the divine inspiration of Scripture. This is the only time the word theopneustos (literally, “God-breathed”) appears in the New Testament. It doesn’t just mean Scripture is “inspired” in a vague sense, but that it carries the very breath of God (cf. Genesis 2:7, where God breathes life into Adam).

For the Church, this is a foundational text: all Scripture is truly the Word of God (cf. Dei Verbum 11). It equips believers with wisdom, corrects error, and trains the community in holy living so that they may be artios — “competent, fully prepared” — and exērtismenos — “thoroughly equipped.”

In classical Greek, exērtismenos was often used to describe a ship fully rigged for voyage, every sail and rope in place — evoking an image of the believer being fully supplied by Scripture, like a vessel stocked for the journey of discipleship.

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingly power: proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.

Paul closes with a solemn exhortation. In light of Christ’s coming in judgment and glory, Timothy must remain faithful to his mission: to proclaim, correct, encourage, and teach with patience.

The gravity of this charge underscores the urgency of the Christian vocation — living and preaching the Word until Christ returns.

Gospel – Luke 18:1-8

Jesus told his disciples a parable
about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary. 
He said, “There was a judge in a certain town
who neither feared God nor respected any human being. 
And a widow in that town used to come to him and say,
‘Render a just decision for me against my adversary.’
For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought,
‘While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being, 
because this widow keeps bothering me
I shall deliver a just decision for her
lest she finally come and strike me.’” 
The Lord said, “Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says. 
Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones
who call out to him day and night? 
Will he be slow to answer them? 
I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily. 
But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

In today’s gospel reading, Jesus teaches the Parable of the Persistent Widow, an eloquent lesson on perseverance in prayer and steadfast trust in God’s justice.

Jesus told his disciples a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary.

Luke tells us the meaning of the parable at the outset: disciples must remain steadfast in prayer.

He said, “There was a judge in a certain town who neither feared God nor respected any human being.

The judge is described as fearing neither God nor human beings, which is a way of saying he did not uphold the pivotal commandments of loving God and loving one’s neighbor.

His failure is not in active wrongdoing but in neglect, an abdication of the very purpose of a judge, which is to ensure justice for all.

And a widow in that town used to come to him and say, ‘Render a just decision for me against my adversary.’

Saint Luke is famous for his widow stories because at the time, they embodied the most vulnerable of society. In the patriarchal society of first-century Judea, women generally relied on husbands, sons, or other male relatives for legal and economic security. Without such support, a widow had little recourse: she could not easily provide for herself and was left dependent on relatives or the charity of others.

The widow in this parable appears to have no male advocate to present her case before the judge. Bereft of that protection, she stands powerless in worldly terms.

Yet she shows remarkable boldness. We are not told the details of her grievance, but it likely involves property or inheritance — matters that could strip her of what little she had left.

Her persistence in seeking justice underscores both her vulnerability and her courage.

For a long time the judge was unwilling,

We can imagine her adversary being wealthy or influential, someone the judge preferred not to oppose.

but eventually he thought, ‘While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being, because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me.’”

The widow’s persistence wears him down. The original Greek for “strike” is hypōpiazō, a boxing term that literally means “to give a black eye.”

This is a vivid touch of humor and irony from Jesus: a powerful, corrupt judge portrays himself as if he might be beaten up by a powerless widow simply because she won’t stop demanding justice.

To render the same effect today, Jesus might portray the judge as saying, “She’s all up in my face!”

The Lord said, “Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says. Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night?

Jesus introduces an a fortiori argument: If even an unjust judge yields to persistence, how much more will the all-holy and loving God listen to his children who pray without ceasing?

The persistence of the woman becomes the model of resoluteness. Like her, we cannot be certain when God will respond, so we must persist.

Will he be slow to answer them? I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily.

God is not indifferent; the timing of his response belongs to his wisdom. What may seem like delay is not neglect but part of God’s providential plan.

Justice will come — in God’s time, and in fullness.

But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

The parable ends with an eschatological challenge. Jesus combines his teaching about perseverance in prayer with a serious warning about the need to remain firm in the faith: faith and prayer go hand in hand.

“In order to pray, let us believe; and for our faith not to weaken, let us pray. Faith causes prayer to grow, and when prayer grows our faith is strengthened” (Saint Augustine, Sermon, 115).

The question is left open-ended: Will disciples continue in faithful, hope-filled prayer until the coming of Christ? Jesus leaves the answer to each of us.

Connections and Themes

Perseverance in prayer. In our first reading, Israel prevails over Amalek only as long as Moses continues lifting his hands in prayer—a striking reminder that the strength of God’s people rests not in their own power, but in constant reliance on Him. In the Gospel, Jesus tells of the widow who, lacking any earthly advantage, wins justice through sheer persistence. These two figures—Moses upheld by the community and the widow pressing forward alone—show us different faces of persevering prayer. In both, the point is clear: prayer is not a one-time act but a posture of ongoing trust and fidelity before God. Disciples must “pray always without becoming weary,” for persevering prayer keeps us rooted in God’s presence and power.

Fidelity in the face of opposition. Today’s readings also highlight how God’s people are called to endure when confronted with resistance. Israel faces the threat of Amalek in battle, Timothy is warned of trials as he continues preaching the word, and the widow confronts a judge who refuses to hear her. Each case calls for perseverance: holding firm to God’s promises, clinging to the word of truth, and refusing to lose heart in prayer. Fidelity is not tested in easy times but in the face of difficulty, and the readings assure us that God is faithful to those who remain steadfast.

The power of communal support. Although our modern culture is largely based on individualism, and while personal responsibility matters, Scripture reminds us that we are created for relationship. We cannot thrive — indeed, we cannot even survive — without one another. In our first reading, Israel’s victory over Amalek depends on Moses’ intercession, yet even Moses cannot persevere without Aaron and Hur holding up his weary arms. In the second reading, Paul exhorts Timothy to remain grounded in the faith he has received from his teachers and the community that formed him, showing that no one endures alone. In the Gospel, Jesus teaches that the disciples, too, must sustain one another in unceasing prayer so that faith will endure until the Son of Man comes. Taken together, the readings remind us that perseverance in faith and prayer draws strength not only from individual resolve but from the support of the whole community of believers. Salvation is never a solitary endeavor: though it touches each life personally, Christ has redeemed us as one people.

When we persevere in prayer, remain faithful under trial, and sustain one another in community, the Son of Man will indeed find faith on earth.