Praying for perseverance

The Lord Is My Chef Breakfast Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Wednesday, Feast of St. John Marie Vianney, Patron of Priests, 04 August 2021
Numbers 13:1-2, 25-14:1, 26-29, 34-35   ><]]]]*>   Matthew 15:21-28

Dearest God our Father,
on this sacred feast of our
Patron St. John Marie Vianney,
I pray not only for us your priests
but most especially for everyone
going through so many trials and
tests these days as we near 
another series of lockdown due to 
a surge in COVID-19 infection.

I pray, O God, for more perseverance
in our faith, hope and love in you
so that we may remain committed to you 
like that Canaanite woman in the gospel:
a pagan yet believed so much in Jesus,
crying out to him as "Lord" and "Son 
of David" to heal her sick daughter (Mt.1521ff);
most of all, like St. John Marie Vianney,
teach us to persevere in life, in serving you
no matter how great are the odds against him
when he lived at a most unfavorable time
for the Church in France after a bloody revolution
that sowed strong anti-clerical, anti-Church 
sentiments among the people.

Perseverance.
From the Latin root perseverare
that means to continue with one's
commitment despite the lack of
any success, surviving trials and no
matter what is the result, whether
we succeed or not in our goals,
we still emerge a better person,
a winner.
Perseverance
as perseverare in Latin means doubling
the efforts in keeping up with the doubling
of sufferings and trials we face,
of continuing to work hard even after
you have already worked so hard,
in fact so tired but would not
refuse to surrender and stop
because you are so committed,
truly a winner in the Lord!

Like St. John Marie Vianney:
despite his difficulties learning
and mastering the Church language
of Latin during his time, he persevered
in the seminary until he was ordained priest; 
as Cure de Ars or pastor of the insignificant 
village of Ars with its 250 inhabitants, 
he persevered in preaching and 
hearing confessions that were so appreciated 
by everyone from all parts of France and Europe
because of his life of simplicity and humility.
And like that Canaanite woman after
being challenged by Jesus, saying
"It is not right to take the food 
of the children and throw it to the dogs",
she said, "Please, Lord, for even the
dogs eat the scraps that fall from the
table of their masters" (Mt. 15:26-27).

Let us not imitate the men sent
by Moses to reconnoiter the land 
of Canaan that instead of instilling
the virtue of perseverance on the people, 
they discouraged them from taking possession 
of the land you were giving them, 
giving up everything they have worked for
and sacrificed; most of all, rejecting your gift
that eventually, you denied them entrance 
into the Promised Land for forty years.

Let me persevere in loving you, Father
even if I am a sinner through
the mercy and salvation in Jesus;
Let me persevere in following your will
 through the Holy Spirit 
even if I stumble and fall so often;
Let me persevere in serving you
dear Lord like St. John Marie Vianney
 even if I am self-centered, 
always seeking rest and rewards.  
AMEN.