First Reading - 3 John 5-8
Gospel - Luke 18:1-8
In the wake of the advancement of science and technology, many of our demands are resolved instantly. Due to instant solutions of things, we lack patience and persistence. If any delay in anything that makes us impatient and disturbed. The readings of today invite us to gain the virtues of patience and persistence and never lose them in our lives, especially in our prayers.
In the first reading, the author praises the Christian community for their hospitality shown to the missionaries. The author appriciates the works of charity and sets their example as the example for others and encourages them to continue to help the missionaries in their works of evangelization. The hospitality and charity of the Christian community is contrasted by the unjust judge of the parable of Jesus in the gospel of today. On the one side, charity and acceptance remind us of having such gestures as the disciples of Jesus; on the other side, rejection and difficulties teach us to have patience and persistence.
Today’s Gospel gives a parable Jesus told during his last trip to Jerusalem. When Luke recorded this passage, the Parousia or Second Coming of Jesus had been delayed beyond what the early Church had expected. Further, the Church was experiencing persecution from both the Jews and the Romans. The persecuted early Christians were finding it increasingly difficult to maintain their Faith. Today’s Gospel lesson, addressing the issues of Faith in difficult times, must have reassured those disciples, as Jesus reassured His own contemporaries, that God was listening to their persistent prayers and would grant them justice and vindicate their Faith in the end. Jesus presents the widow in today’s Gospel as a model of the trust and tenacity with which all his disciples are to pray.
This parable is based on the corrupt Roman legal practices prevalent in Palestine at the time of Jesus. The judge in the parable was a magistrate appointed either by Herod or by the Romans. Such judges were avaricious, corrupt, and without fear of God or the public. By publicly badgering the judge every day, the woman was trying to shame this shameless person. Finally, the unjust judge was forced to yield. Hence, this parable is not only about the efficacy of persistent prayer, but also about the character of God, His Trustworthiness and Justice. His is a Justice that reaches out to the poor and the weak, enabling them to fight against injustice. The parable teaches us that the purpose of all our prayers is the augmentation of our trusting Faith in a loving and caring God Who is our Father.
Dear friends, prayer attunes our minds to God, enabling us to do what God wants. The parable teaches us that our prayers do not change God’s will. Instead, they bring our hearts into line with His purposes. Sincere and persistent prayer makes us ready to accept and live out His will in love and trust.
We should not expect to get whatever we pray for. We prefer to get from God what we want , when we want it! God hears all our prayers. But He knows how and when to grant our prayers. Only God sees time whole, and, therefore, only God knows what is good for us, and when, in the long run. Hence, we have to leave it to God’s decision saying, “Thy will be done,” and to express our trusting Faith and dependence on Him by persevering in our prayers.
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