| October 21, 2001 Exodus 17:8-13 + 2 Timothy 3:14-4:2 + Luke 18:1-8 |
| Luke pulls a switch with this the parable todayI suspect that when Jesus used this parable, it was, like all his parables, about God, his “Father”In which case, the point of the story was the judge, and the listener would have drawn into a reflection upon the surprising figure who is moved by this persistent widow to provide the justice for which she pleas.Yet, when Luke tells the story it is not so clearly about the judge.In the context of the journey to Jerusalem the widow emerges as the story’s focus. |
| For the past sixteen weeks, the Jesus of Luke’s Gospel has been guide and mentor in the way to Jerusalem.The ongoing spiritual formation of disciples provides sound advise to sober and strengthen believers who day after day live with the challenges of a worldly kingdom and walk the moral minefields of materialism and consumerism.The injustice that surrounds us makes this parable all too real.We know the two-tier society of rich and poor, those on the inside and those on the outside, the “haves” and the “have nots” are not invisible.We know how “justice” as a system works too, and so the thought of this judge is not too far from the truth.He has no conscience, this judge; he cares nothing for ethics, and he functions only for his own good, not for the widow’s.She doesn’t have the right connections to gain access to justice, so she uses prayer, and she uses it persistently. |
| She emerges as the prime figure for us in our study and reflection on discipleship; not because she is a widow,not because she is alone, not because she is woman,nor because she is an uneducated outcast without a name, wealth, land or power But she emerges because, unlike others of her kind, she is persistent, constant, steady, and unbending in face of any obstacle.The virtue she offers disciples is the virtue of persistent prayerAgain, it’s not something you do, it’s a virtue and a way of doing things. It means that prayer in the life of disciple is not occasional nor convenient. It does not only rise up in time of trouble, but it is constant, steady, and persistently a part of every day and every moment. |
| This kind of life – filled with prayer, is the clearest sign of faith.It is not about the “right” prayer, about devotions, or about the prayers of Christians, Jews, or Muslims. |
| It is about a life style that is constantly prayerful, always lived in the presence of God, and seeing and relating all things to divine will and the divine presence.This kind of faith is not something taught in catechism or school, but something caught by attitude and example.It is the consequence of a God-centered life rooted in conviction and trust in a God who will never abandon or ignore those who entrust themselves to the divine power, care and mercy in prayer. |
| It is because of the shift from self to God that perseverance in prayer becomes possible,because God, who is utterly reliable,has pledged to hear prayers and has promised that those who ask receive, those who seek find and those who knock will find that no door shall be closed to them. In that kind of faith, persistent prayer becomes not only possible but a permanent practice in the life of the believer and disciple. |
| The first witness to this truth is Jesus himselfwhose life is one of prayer that ultimately leads him through darkness, loneliness, death, and the grave to the ultimately victory of Justice.It can be no different then for his disciples.The judges of this world tell us “No” and “Go away”but prayer in the style of this widow sustains our hope and renews the courage of all who cry for justice.If a corrupt and self-preserving judge will finally give way to the cry of that widow,how much easier will be it be with a God of Mercy and Compassion? |