He was born in poverty in a one-room log cabin in rural Kentucky. It is estimated that he received less than one year of formal classroom education in total, and only when he wasn’t needed at the farm. He self-taught math and English using borrowed books and was a voracious reader of the Bible, Shakespeare, and the classics. When he was 9 years old, his mother died. When he was in his mid-20s, his first love, Ann Rutledge, died. He had four sons, but only one, Robert Todd, survived to adulthood. He never attended law school, but he became an attorney by reading legal texts. He ran for public office and was repeatedly defeated. With each tragedy and setback, he turned to prayer for strength, endurance, and wisdom. In the gravest chapter of this country’s history, his persistence, moral clarity, and tireless prayers helped preserve a nation torn in two when, in 1860, Abraham Lincoln was elected President, the first Republican to hold the office.
Scripture readings draw us to a deeper understanding of prayer, God’s mercy, and the transformative power of faith. Genesis 18 presents a remarkable scene: another Abraham, this one the father of our faith, engaging in a bold and persistent dialogue with God concerning the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham, standing before the Lord, dares to question divine justice, asking, “Will you really sweep away the righteous with the wicked?” — Genesis 18:23. This is not a challenge to God’s authority, but rather an appeal to His inherent justice and mercy. Abraham’s intercession begins by asking if God would spare the city for the sake of fifty righteous people, and then, with increasing boldness, he progressively lowers the number to forty-five, forty, thirty, twenty, and finally, ten. Abraham’s appeal is not merely to save fifty or as few as ten righteous, but for the entire city to be forgiven. His persistence exposes his deep faith in God’s merciful nature. “This is the power of prayer. For through intercession, the prayer to God for the salvation of others, the desire for salvation which God nourishes for sinful man is demonstrated and expressed.” — Pope Benedict XVI, May 18, 2011.
The central theme of Paul’s writing in Colossians 2:14 is the forgiveness of all our trespasses. God erases our transgressions by “nailing it to the cross.” In the Gospel, Jesus teaches our faith’s foundational prayer, the “Our Father.” Jesus follows it by telling the parable of the persistent friend, highlighting the importance of perseverance in prayer. If a reluctant friend can be moved by persistence, how much more will our loving Heavenly Father respond to our earnest requests? “Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” — Luke 11:9. This invitation encourages us to approach God with confidence and the persistence of unwavering faith.
Today, we are called to renew our commitment to prayer, particularly intercessory prayer. We are invited to trust in His boundless mercy as we pray for our own needs, for those who are lost or suffering, and for the salvation of the world.
Go in Peace to Love and Serve the Lord.
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