GOSPEL, Luke 18, 1-8
Jesus told his disciples a parable about the need to pray continually and never lose heart. ‘There was a judge in a certain town’ he said ‘who had neither fear of God nor respect for man. In the same town there was a widow who kept on coming to him and saying, “I want justice from you against my enemy!” For a long time he refused, but at last he said to himself, “Maybe I have neither fear of God nor respect for man, but since she keeps pestering me I must give this widow her just rights, or she will persist in coming and worry me to death.”’ the Lord said ‘You notice what the unjust judge has to say? Now will not God see justice done to his chosen who cry to him day and night even when he delays to help them? I promise you, he will see justice done to them, and done speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find any faith on earth?’
WORDS FOR LIFE, A SECRET WEAPON
In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells them a parable to show them that they should pray continually and not lose heart. When we ask God for things, he wants us to be insistent, tireless and patient.
Jesus explains this to us in the parable of the widow who keeps coming to the unjust judge to demand justice. The widow has a secret weapon which the judge doesn’t know about – her patience and relentless awkwardness. In her weakness, she has got no other means of getting what she wants.
If we ask in the same way with this insistence, we know the Lord will accede to our wishes and at the same time, fill us with hope because God isn’t like this evil and ruthless judge. Indeed he is a loving and merciful Father.
