Someone of you may ask: "What did Jeduthin mean when he said: Listen to my tears? (Ps 39:12) Tears are seen but they arent heard. Tears flow but they dont make a sound. But they do have their own voice, as Abels blood had its voice [see Gen 4:10: "The voice of your brother's blood cries to me from the earth"]. If the blood of a slain man had a voice that reached God, the tears of one praying certainly have their own voice. For tears are the hearts blood. So when you ask for eternal life, when you say, Thy kingdom come--that kingdom where you will live in safety, where you will live forever, where you will never grieve over a friend nor ever fear an enemyweep when you plead for this, pour out your inner blood, sacrifice your heart to God. This is what it means that we must pray and never lose heart. (Augustine Sermon 77B, 6)

Rev. Joseph A. Komonchak, professor emeritus of the School of Theology and Religious Studies at the Catholic University of America, is a retired priest of the Archdiocese of New York.

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