29th Sunday in Ordinary Time ( C )

INTRO:
Tell story of the “persistent” baby sitter….

Did you ever try and get winter boots on a wiggly 2yr old?
Two year old ANDY asked the baby sitter for help in getting his boots on. With her pulling and him pushing, the boots still didn’t want to go on. When the second boot was on, she had already worked up a sweat!

1. ANDY said… “WRONG FEET!”

She looked and sure enough, they were on the wrong feet. It wasn’t any easier pulling the boots off than it was putting them on. She managed to keep her cool as together they worked to get the boots back on—this time ON THE RIGHT FEET!

2. ANDY then announced….. “These aren’t my boots!”

The babysitter bit her tongue wanting to say,
“Why didn’t you say so in the first place?”

Once again she struggled to help him pull off the “WRONG” boots!

3. Then ANDY said…..they are my cousin’s boots and my Mom makes me wear them!!!!
She didn’t know if she should laugh or cry!!!! ???? She mustered up the grace to wrestle the boots onto his feet again!

When she was all finished, she asked….
“Now where are your mittens?”

4. ANDY said, “I stuffed them in my boots!”

Such is the story of a person’s determination, hard work, and persistence….”keeping at it” no matter what!

As we come to Church this weekend we are told to be “determined”
“To keep going at it”
“To become regularly persistent”

WHERE??

ANSWER: at prayer!!!

So often I hear: “Oh I forgot my prayers today!”
“I wish I had a better prayer life”
“I never have time to pray”

LUKE has Jesus telling this parable because he wants the church to be found at prayer.

“Will the Son of Man when he comes…..Will He find any faith on earth?”

My understanding is that the FIRST CHRISTIANS “slowed down” in their attendance for gathering to pray!

The ROMANS made it difficult and frightening to gather! And so the early Christians ………… had almost a LEGITIMATE EXCUSE to NOT pray …… BUT, the Gospel writer was not accepting that excuse or ANY EXCUSE for that matter!!!
NO MATTER WHAT … the CHURCH needs to GATHER and PRAY… just like you all are doing now!

OUR DAYS I am certain…. get filled and there is a struggle to keep the balance.

CONCLUSION:

But consider the times in which we live…. there is a greater need for each of us to be found at prayer, petitioning God for so many things or listening to God guide you and I.

Take a short walk today, in silence….or sit and read from your bible….allow God to speak to you. BE FOUND AT PRAYER!