Being faithful disciple:
Takes persistence in prayer

		Living the Scriptures  with St. Paul University  Catholic Center  Kristen Korab

Who ever said that being a Christian is easy?

Well, just before I started college, when I decided to truly follow Christ and commit my life to Him, I thought it would make life easier. I failed to get the memo that being a faithful disciple of Christ takes hard work and persistence.

In Luke's Gospel, one of Jesus' disciples says to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray." Jesus replies with the prayer we refer to as the "Our Father".

I have come to realize through my four years in college and at St. Paul's the importance of the words "Give us each day our daily bread." Faith in Christ is a daily recommitment.

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (July 25, 2004) Gn 18:20-32 Ps 138:1-2, 2-3, 6-7, 7-8 Col 2:12-14 Lk 11:1-13

Initially, after making the decision to follow Christ, I fell and took steps back. I was not strong enough in my faith to always remain on the right path and did not know how much I wanted my faith to control my life.

I have come to see how important prayer is in this daily recommitment to Christ. As the disciples asked Jesus, I also need to ask the Lord to teach me to pray.

Prayer is not always easy. Throughout college I have tried to set aside time for prayer each day, but it does not always happen.

In this week's Gospel, Jesus tells his disciples about a man who goes to a friend seeking three loaves of bread for another friend who has arrived from a journey. The man tells the seeker not to bother him because his door is locked and his family is sleeping.

Jesus tells his disciples that if the man does not get up to give the visitor bread because of their friendship, he will give him what he needs because of his persistence.

Persistence is so important, especially in prayer. I know that I am not always going to feel like praying, or I may think I have too much to do. I have found that sometimes my prayer life goes through dry periods where it does not always seem fruitful.

I have learned that the best thing I can do is to persevere in those times of trial and never stop praying, for I never know when God will have something to reveal to me.

God's timing is not something that always matches our own. Luke's Gospel does not say, "Ask and you will receive exactly how you wish; seek and you will find exactly where you are looking; knock and the door will be opened to you exactly when you want it to be."

	Reflection question • What are some areas in your life and faith in which you need to be more persistent?

What would life be like if we knew what God has in store for us? He reveals things to us when he knows the time is right.

Not knowing has always been a struggle for me and I have had to find peace and confidence in constantly seeking and asking for not "my will," but "thy will be done."

Kristen Korab is a UW-Madison senior graduating in December with a degree in elementary education. This fall she will be student teaching at Our Lady Queen of Peace School in Madison. She is a student leader at St. Paul's and a member of the Foundation Board of Directors.

St. Paul's Web site is www.stpaulscc.org

Faith Alive!

Faith Alive! is published bi-weekly during the summer. The next Faith Alive! will appear in the July 29 issue of the Catholic Herald.