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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, we were told that Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come. He answered them and 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 said to the 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 housetop, 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 tells us: "To pray and not lose heart is a vital step in preparation for the coming of the Lord." I think that, as a continuation from yesterday, we need to read this Gospel in the context of His knowledge that the time will come when they are longing to see Him again. This message is also given to us, for when we endure injustice in the world, and we, too, await that fullness of the Kingdom and His return. First He teaches us about awareness and mission, and His first words to each of us about this period in which we await Him is all about prayer. This word translated "not lose heart" is about becoming overwearied, faint, exhausted. But its root is interesting: literally, in some sense, it's about becoming overwhelmed or overcome by the "bad," by evil.
. . . 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?" My study bible notes 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."
The words from my study bible remind us of the poignant words of Jesus at the end of the parable: Will He find faith on the earth when He returns? I think we can't underestimate the power of prayer. Over and over again, Christ will emphasize the necessity and potency of prayer, this connection we have with God through dialogue. It's so easy to forget to be mindful of God and our relationship, which is constant, and is with us in all times and circumstances. Jesus' words teach us not to be faint of heart, not to allow ourselves to be deluged and filled with the "bad" things or the evil of this world, the injustice we may experience. So the words clearly tell us that He knows what we're in for. He knows what the world is about, and He knows especially what His followers may encounter in their lives. We're always to remember God, that even an unjust judge who doesn't care at all for God nor for human beings can be pestered enough to render justice for a poor widowed woman who has no ally in the world. And so, by comparison, He teaches us again about the power of prayer as dialogue, as petition, as engagement with God. Earlier He touched upon the same subject, but in a different aspect, when He taught about the lilies of the field, the anxieties we have for the things we think we need in life, and the care God has for us. So today He emphasizes once again, but in a different setting, the essence of prayer, and how it will help to keep us from being overwhelmed by the things which burden us. There are times when this word translated as "don't lose heart" really seems to manifest for me. That Greek word is ἐκκακέω/enkakeo. It means literally to be internally filled with the bad or evil. It brings to mind the image of leaven -- and we are reminded of Jesus' warnings to His disciples regarding "the leaven of the Pharisees." If we take a look at the whole of that reading from Chapter 12 of Luke's Gospel, we'll see its connection to the themes in today's reading. He's aware of our difficulties, and especially the ones to come when we are without Him in the flesh, when the evil of this world may overwhelm us. Sustenance is in our prayer -- especially at those times when we're threatened with losing heart. We're to pray anyway. Like the judge in the story, we just don't know what really might be at work through our prayer, and what effects it may have. Let us remember this connection to God, and how it is linked to our faith. Will He find faith on earth when He returns? Let us remember that this widow's "adversary" is another metaphor for the evil one. Jesus is aware of our problems with justice and injustice in the world as we await His return; let us remember His teaching about dealing with our adversary. Take heart, and pray. So much depends upon the renewal of faith and this dialogue with God.
