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Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying: "There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, 'Get justice for me from my adversary.' And he would not for a while, but afterward he said within himself, 'Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.'" Then the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge his own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"
- Luke 18:1-8
In yesterday's reading, Jesus taught about the coming of the kingdom of God. He was asked by some Pharisees when this would come. He said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation, nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!' for indeed, the kingdom of God is within you." Then He told His disciples, "The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. And they will say to you, 'Look here!' or 'Look there!' Do not go after them or follow them. For as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day. But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man. They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed. In that day, he who is on the housetops, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away. And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back. Remember Lot's wife. Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it. I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed: the one will be taken and the other will be left. Two women will be grinding together: the one will be taken and the other left. Two men will be in the field: the one will be taken and the other left." And they answered and said to Him, "Where, Lord?" So He said to them, "Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together."
Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart . . . My study bible says that "to pray and not lose heart is a vital step in preparation for the coming of the Lord." We remember that this comes just after His teaching about His Second Coming. Jesus is one the way to Jerusalem, to His Passion, death and Resurrection. So this is an important part of His instruction regarding the time that we find ourselves in now, awaiting His Return.
. . . saying: "There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, 'Get justice for me from my adversary.' And he would not for a while, but afterward he said within himself, 'Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.'" This isn't the first time Jesus has spoken of persistent prayer using the comparison to someone who hasn't the capacities equal to God. In Luke chapter 11 He's said to His disciples, "If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” Here the comparison is to an unjust judge, one who has neither regard for God nor for man, but cares only for his own opinions. But persistent prayer or petition has an effect even in this person unmoved by others.
Then the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge his own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?" My study bible says here: "This parable, found only in Luke, illustrates the results of persistent prayer. If a helpless widow wins her case by persistent pleading before even a callous judge, how much more will God's elect find quick justice before a loving and righteous Father? Will Christ upon His return, find faith on the earth? Each of us must take care to be part of His faithful remnant."
If we put this parable in the context of awaiting His return, we find ourselves in a place where God is set forth as true Judge. And the implication here is that all things must be put squarely in the hands of God, and we rest in our petitions as prayer before God. I think that whatever it is, Jesus implies, we put it before God -- and persistently we do so. It is a kind of dependency He teaches here, similar to a certain type of understanding that we rest in God. Ultimately, all kinds of injustices, He seems to say, will be borne in this world. Certainly this will be the experience of His disciples and apostles and all the early Church as they are persecuted for His name's sake. But ultimately, we can also extend this outward to those of us who live with His word in our hearts and hope in His truth. What is it that we have in life that may be our own cross to bear? What are the things that cause us pain, and the experience of injustice? Recently I was speaking with a lawyer involved in a legal petition that I know of, and he said to me, "There is no justice in the court, only in the afterlife." I can only reflect on Jesus' teaching about relying on God here. He encourages persistence in prayer, an advocacy for ourselves before God that is constant, and a reliance on and faith in God. Speaking for myself, I have found that a conventional sense of justice in all cases isn't always rewarded, but in time God's plan works out something better, something that in fact offers me a life of different and better values and strengths, and the urging to continue forward in His Way. God will always ask us to come back, again and again. Nevertheless, when He returns, will He really find faith on the earth?
