The Gospel of Luke 18:1-8 Jesus told his disciples a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, `Grant me justice against my opponent.’ For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, `Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.'” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
Let us Pray: Teach us to pray with the boldness of the widow, To speak truth to power with unwavering hope, And to trust that You hear the cries of the brokenhearted. Strengthen our faith when answers seem delayed, And make us vessels of Your justice in a weary world. Amen.
What do you do when it seems that God is deaf to your prayers? When you do not see any visible signs of reply from God? Do you give up and simply walk away from God and feel discouraged in your prayers. You are thinking they are not making a difference. Or do you continue to hold on, do you continue to pray and hope that somehow you will see signs of His reply. How persistent are we with God? If we need a healing, or a sense of peace from God, how persistent am we? Are we willing to patiently wait for God to act? We come and place your petitions before God and then hope we will receive an answer. God’s timing is not our timing. So, we wait and be persistent. Jesus uses this story to teach his disciples about the need to continually seek God’s justice and not lose heart, even in the face of adversity. As the disciples listen, they are challenged to reflect on their own faith and commitment to seeking God’s will in their lives. Just like the widow in the parable, let’s continue to approach God with confidence and trust, knowing that He will bring about justice and resolution in our lives. This parable is a beautiful reminder of the power of persistent prayer and unwavering faith in God’s goodness and justice. God is not like the unjust judge. Jesus contrasts the reluctant justice of the judge with the eager justice of God. If even a corrupt official can be moved by persistence, how much more will a loving God respond to the cries of His people? There is the ethical aspect that the widow represents, it is those who are often ignored or dismissed. Her voice, though socially weak, becomes powerful through persistence. This challenges communities to amplify the voices of the oppressed. Today, the Church is called to persist in prayer, advocacy, and action until justice is achieved and the oppressed are heard. Perhaps now the question for us is: Do I truly believe that God is with me? Do I trust that God hears my prayers and my longings? Thus, are we willing to trust and believe in our God who loves us? Today and every day, God is gifting us and blessing us! May we have the eyes, minds, and hearts to recognize the many ways God will bless us today. God’s character is revealed as one who listens and acts. The parable affirms that justice is not peripheral to God’s kingdom, it is central. In our short journey in this world there will be disappointments, there will be failures and struggles. Yet these trials must not lead us to abandon our faith. We must continue to be persistent in our prayers, we must continue to trust in the Lord, and we must continue to believe and have faith.
Let us Pray: God of Mercy and Justice, You hear the cries of those who are weary, You see the hearts that refuse to give up. Like the widow who stood before the judge, Teach us to pray with boldness and endurance. When answers seem delayed, Strengthen our trust in Your timing. When justice feels distant, Ignite in us a holy impatience that refuses silence. May our prayers rise like incense, Not as empty words, but as acts of faith. May we become advocates for the voiceless, And vessels of Your compassion in a hurting world. Lord, when You return, May You find in us a faith that has not faltered, A hope that has not dimmed, And a love that persists through every trial. Amen.
Reflections by Bob 