Reflection: Luke 18:1-8

Saturday of the 32^nd Week of Ordinary Time – Luke 18:1-8

In today’s Gospel we hear the familiar parable about the necessity of praying always.  There are two characters in this parable: a widow and a judge.  Luke writes: “There was a judge who neither feared God nor respected any human being.”  It sounds like this judge was a law unto himself.  The image Luke presents of the judge is not a favorable one.

A widow in the town came to the judge and said to him: “Render a just decision for me against my adversary.”  Luke does not give us any of the details of what had transpired between the widow and her adversary.  However, Luke makes it clear that the judge did not want to render judgment in this case. 

The judge put the widow off several times.  However, the woman persisted.  She would not let the judge rest.  Finally the judge realized that if he wanted any peace in his life, he would have to make a just decision in the widow’s case.  He was concerned that if he did not make a fair judgment, the widow might come and strike him. 

How persistent are we with God?  If I need or desire a gift, a healing or a sense of peace from God, how persistent am I?  How persistent are you?  Are we willing to patiently wait for God to act?  We know that God is not a ‘vending machine.’ However, at times, I approach God as I would a vending machine.  I come and place my petitions before God and then hope I receive an answer (preferably in the very near future).  However, God is not a vending machine.  And God’s timing is not our timing. 

Perhaps the question for us is: Do I truly believe that God is with me?  Do I trust that God hears my prayers and my longings?  Do I trust that God will grace me?  I doubt that any one of us truly wants a “vending machine God.”  Thus, are we willing to trust and believe in our God who loves us?  Today (and every day) God is gifting us and gracing us!  May we have the eyes, minds and hearts to recognize the many ways God will grace us today.