Daily Catholic Lectio
Sun, 19 Oct ‘25
Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Exodus 17:8–13. 2 Timothy 3:14–4:2. Luke 18:1–8
Charged to Shine
A few years ago, a witty post went viral on Twitter: “Visitors to our homes used to leave behind memories; now they leave their chargers.”
Chargers — those small, unnoticed devices — have become part of every home. Our laptops, tablets, and phones cannot function without them. They convert high electrical power into the right form of energy for our devices. On their own, they are useless; but once connected to both the source and the device, they transmit power.
In the same way, we too are called to be divine chargers — instruments that connect God’s power to the world.
Today’s three readings show us three ways in which God charges us through prayer and faith: (a) through community, (b) through Scripture, and (c) through persistent prayer.
(a) Charged through Community: The Power of Togetherness
The first reading takes us to a battlefield. Israel, newly freed from Egypt, is attacked by the Amalekites — a strong warrior tribe. The Israelites, after centuries of slavery, know nothing about war. Victory seems impossible. So Moses goes to the top of a hill, lifting his hands toward heaven in prayer while Joshua leads the fighters below. Whenever Moses’ hands are raised, Israel prevails; when he lowers them, they begin to lose. Seeing this, Aaron and Hur hold up his arms until sunset, and the people of God win.
What does this scene teach us?
The power did not come from Moses alone, but from the unity of faith — Moses, Aaron, Hur, and Joshua, each playing a part. The prayer on the hill and the work in the field were one act of faith.
Prayer charges us most effectively when it is shared. Our families, parishes, and communities are not optional support systems — they are divine transformers that connect God’s strength to our weakness.
In a world that glorifies isolation and self-sufficiency, faith invites us back to communion — to hold one another’s hands high in prayer. Together, we become God’s living power lines on earth.
(b) Charged through the Word: Scripture as the Power Source
In the second reading, Paul writes to young Timothy, encouraging him to stay rooted in Scripture amid confusion and false teachings. “All Scripture is inspired by God,” Paul says — literally breathed by Him.
The Word of God is the believer’s power source. It teaches, corrects, encourages, and trains us in righteousness. Timothy, who had known Scripture from childhood, is reminded that this divine Word is enough to strengthen him for every challenge.
In a world filled with half-truths and noisy opinions, we too must return daily to this power source.
When the Bible becomes only a ritual or decoration, our souls grow weak.
But when we read and meditate on it — in families, groups, or individually — it renews our spiritual charge.
Paul’s advice remains timeless: “Preach the Word — whether convenient or inconvenient. Correct, rebuke, and encourage with patience and sound teaching.” Scripture is not merely a book — it is the living current of God flowing through us, transforming us into messengers of hope.
(c) Charged through Prayer: The Power of Perseverance
In the Gospel, Jesus tells the parable of the persistent widow and the unjust judge. The judge “neither fears God nor respects people,” yet the widow keeps coming to him for justice. Her persistence wears him down, and finally, he grants her request — not out of compassion, but because of her endurance. If even a corrupt judge responds to constant pleading, how much more will a just and loving God answer His faithful ones? The widow’s persistence is a lesson for all who grow weary in prayer. Faith is not proved by one great prayer, but by unrelenting trust — praying again and again, even when heaven seems silent.
Jesus ends with a question that pierces every heart: “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?” Prayer is our spiritual charger — the moment we reconnect to divine energy. Without prayer, our faith-battery dies. But when we pray — persistently, humbly, even wordlessly — we stay charged with God’s power.
Mission Sunday: Messengers of Hope
Today the Church celebrates World Mission Sunday with the theme “Heralds of Hope among People.” Through Baptism, every one of us has received this missionary calling. We are sent not only to speak about Christ, but to live charged with His presence — to bring light where there is darkness, courage where there is fear, and love where there is despair.
Like Moses on the hill, Timothy with the Word, and the widow at the judge’s door, we are called to remain connected — to God and to one another — so that His life flows through us into the world.
Staying Connected to the Divine Power
There are many fake chargers around us today — false promises, empty spirituality, shallow success — that drain rather than renew our energy. The true chargers are these three: Community, Scripture, and Prayer. When we stay plugged into them, we carry God’s power wherever we go. Then the words of the Psalmist become our song: “I lift up my eyes to the hills — from where shall my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:1–2) When we remain charged by God, our inner light never fades. Our lives — like holy devices — stay switched on, glowing with faith, powered by love, and connected forever to the Source of all strength.
Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi
Archdiocese of Madurai
Missionary of Mercy
Yesu Karunanidhi 
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