Jesus
in the gospel tells us in a parable the need to pray consistently and
persistently and not weary. Here we have two characters: the widow who is
mouthy and worrisome and the judge who is unjust and wicked. We can picture the
agony of the widow who was denied justice. She is probably asking for the right
of inheritance of her late husband’s properties. Many cultures practice some loathsome
traditions that leave widows helpless and hopeless after the death of their
husband. Such was obtainable in Palestine of Jesus’ time. Widows in such
cultures normally don’t talk about their problem or sue for justice because
they cannot afford the cost. However, this woman went beyond this cultural
stigma to approach an unjust and wicked judge for justice. Her persistence in
asking for justice over and over again was maybe caused by the fact that she
has lost all means of livelihood. The widow is the symbol of all who were poor
and defenseless.
The judge is described as unjust and wicked.
There were such men in the time of Jesus who were corrupt and depraved. Such
judges were notorious and unless plaintiffs had money and influence to bribe
their way in they had no hope of ever getting justice. We believe there are
such men in positions of judicial authority today. They have the position, but
they do not have the godly character, compassion and sense of justice that
should qualify a man to be a judge.
Jesus
contrasts the unjust judge with God the ideal judge who is all merciful. Jesus
does not say that God is like the unjust judge. The unjust judge settled the
woman out of fear of being tortured to death by this poor widow. But our
constant prayer is not a bother to God. He answers us out of love. So Jesus
exhorts us to pay attention to the character of God. God is always listening
night and day.
But
it appears sometimes that answers to our prayers are often delayed and justice
does not come as quickly as we may have expected. I once read a post on a
facebook page in which the poster was dissatisfied with how God has ignored his
prayers for quite a long time now. According to the Mr. the poster, after some
months of prayer, fasting and early morning mass attendance, plus chronicles of
crusades and night vigils he participated, he was unsuccessful in the
University Matriculation Exam which he has tried to pass for three consecutive
years. He asked aloud, “God where are you?” When he heard no corresponding reply he
concluded that God does not exist. My dear friends, God does not wicked us when
there is a delay in response to our prayer. He is only saying to us “wait, I am
working out the best for you”. Our own part is to pray unceasingly and
unseasonal. In fact the ultimate prayer is “Thy will be done oh Lord!”
From
the story of Moses and the parable of the importunate widow, we draw the lesson
that in the face of injustice and difficulties we must continually pray and
don’t lose heart. We must develop such spiritual stamina as to withstand all
spiritual and physical enemies of this life. When our hands are steady in
prayer, we break the jinx of sin, sickness and sorrow, injustice and prejudice.
With constant and persistent prayer disappointments turn to appointments,
people rise from grass to grace, from cross to crown, from tears of sorrow to
tears of joy, from pit to palace, from damnation to salvation. “Prayer is the
most powerful weapon against trial, the most effective medicine against
sickness and the most valuable gift to someone you love”.
One
bad attitude we must avoid is to see prayer like “fire extinguisher.” This
equipment hangs on the wall in your house and office or lays in the boot of
your car. You normally pay little attention to it until there is an emergency.
Then you run for it, you want it! Some run to prayer the same way. When there
is no urgent situation in life, they don’t use it. They run to God only when
there is crisis and they want God to respond immediately with military dispatch.
Finally,
with regard to our prayer life, we must shun impatience. People can be so
impatient and get tired easily. That answers why the migration from one church
to another today by some men and women of little faith. Some people think that
if God does not answer their prayer in a particular church he will answer it in
another. That is very wrong. Many, I believe may test all churches and
religions in the world before the second coming of Christ. God help us! To such
Christians I re-echo the words of St. Paul to Timothy to “continue in what you
have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, and how
from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you
for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2Tim 3:14-15). As we learn to
steady our hands in prayer, may we also learn to steady our feet in faith. MAY
GOD ANSWER US IN TIMES OF TRIAL AND BLESS THE WORK OF OUR HANDS. AMEN.
