Word to the Wise
Saturday, November 15, 2008 - St. Albert the Great, O.P. - bishop and doctor of the church
[3 John 5-8 and Luke 18:1-8]"While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being, becausethis widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me!"
The words of the unjust judge in response to the continued complaints of the widow are meant by Jesus to illustrate the necessity of perseverance in prayer. They are meant as a humorous contrast to what God may be expected to do. God is not an unjust judge! Prayer is an expression of our relationship to God. It is perseverance in that relationship of faith that can make a response possible to our needs. However, this is not quite the same situation as going to a store and handing over money or credit card for a desired object. In my own experience, when times for me were difficult, it was simply continual prayer that got me through the hard times. The support and concern of friends has been a standard response from God for which I am always grateful. But God did not show up like the Fairy Godmother in the Cinderella movie to change things "bippity-boppity boo!" With continual prayer I found the courage to work through my needs. The widow (the typical vulnerable person in the society of Jesus' day) literally shames the Judge. His refusal to hear her can result in his "losing honor or face" in the community. God is not going to lose face on our account. However, the widow's persistence and perseverance are the valuable qualities to be sought. Never give up! AMEN