33RD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

He kept calling out all the more.

You may have heard the saying “The squeaky wheel gets the grease.” Sometimes people use it negatively, to point out someone who complains too long and too loudly. But normally, people just mean that if you want something, you have to be persistent about asking for it. There are times in life when we should speak up about what we need or we may never get it—especially when it comes to prayer.

“Squeaking” is what the blind man begging by the side of the road was doing when he heard that Jesus was passing by. Certainly he was accustomed to asking for what he needed. So his first instinct was to let Jesus know his needs right away. However, with such a large crowd in front of him, he had to speak up to get noticed! Yet the people tried to get him to be quiet. Perhaps they thought that he was too pushy or loud. They might even have thought that, given his lowly status, the man should keep his mouth shut. Who did this beggar think he was to keep bothering Jesus like that?

There’s a lesson here for us. We believe in Jesus’ love, and we know that we can come to him and ask for help. But do we? Sometimes “the crowd” rebukes us and stops us. Instead of hostile onlookers, though, that “crowd” is often the voices in our own heads—voices that tell us that Jesus may listen to everyone else, but he won’t listen to us. Or that we don’t deserve his help. Or that because we don’t see an answer right away, we should just give up.

Don’t listen to those voices! Keep calling out to Jesus, just as the blind man did! Perhaps you have a friend or relative who has been dealing with a really difficult issue for a long time. It seems hopeless. But don’t stop praying, because a solution might be just around the corner. Or perhaps you face a seemingly impossible situation in your own life. Be insistent and persistent in your prayer.

Jesus hears your prayers. He is asking you today, “What do you want me to do for you?” (Luke 18:41).

“Lord, I come to you with my needs. Help me to never stop calling out to you!”

1 Maccabees 1:10-15, 41-43, 54-57, 62-63
Psalm 119:53, 61, 134, 150, 155, 158
Luke 18:35-43