The Widow and the Judge

This fall, I have been a participant in Seekers II, an adult faith formation group at Holy Family.  The group met several times to discuss Catholic Social Teaching (CST) and the parables that support and explain CST.  With the guidance of our leaders, Linda Crowley and Jeanne Creagan, the participants and I quickly realized the parables are not as straight forward as they seem.  The first glance parables appear to mean one thing but on further careful inspection and research mean something else entirely. Itis only with some persistence the meaning of the parable will be revealed.

The parable in this weekend's gospel "The Widow and the Judge" (Luke 18:1-8) tells the story of a widow who repeatedly appeals to a judge for help.  Every time the widow comes to the judge with the same plea he refuses to do anything to help the widow. Eventually, after an unnamed number of pleas; the judge relents to the widow's plea.   Sadly, the judge did not answer the widow's pleas out of compassion, a sense of righteousness, or even for a fear of God. The judge finally answered the persistent widow because she was a nuisance to him.

Thankfully, the Gospel reading does not end there.  Jesus turns to the listeners and begins to compare God to the judge; God as loving and the judge as indifferent.  If we are as persistent as the widow in our own daily prayer life won't God, who loves us so completely, answer our prayers with a loving heart?  Jesus ends the telling of the parable by saying "When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" (Luke 18:8).

   If you want a scholarly interpretation of the parable it is easy to find one by doing an internet search.  For me, I did not search for the meaning of the parable but immediately thought about my own prayer life. The things and people I have prayed for, and how the prayers were answered. There have been times when I had a robust prayer life and others when my prayer life was less than what God deserves.  Typically, my prayers center around the health and happiness of my family, friends, fellow parishioners, that all people will know God's love and have strength to live with the circumstances of their life.  

There have been a few times in my life when I prayed in moments of enormous need.  Twice, separated by decades, I prayed for God to save the life of two different family members’.  The first time, my prayer was "not answered" and my loved one died. The second time my prayer was "answered" and my loved one lived.  I have had prayers for my personal health "answered" every day. And I have had prayers go "unanswered" for many years. In the end, all our prayers are answered.  Perhaps not the way we wanted or can comprehend. Regardless of the outcome, I continue to persistently pray because I have faith that God listens to me and knows what is best.  Although, I or my loved may suffer despite prayers I must continue to be persistent. And when all else fails, I hold on tight to the hope that all things will be revealed to me when I am reunited with God and my loved ones in heaven.

My prayer today is that you and I will be persistent in our prayer life and our continued faith in God.

Reflection by Aimee Casale