Reading 1 3 Jn 5-8
Responsorial Psalm Ps 112:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
Gospel Lk 18:1-8
The parable in today’s Gospel contrasts God with a corrupt judge. A poor widow goes to court to obtain justice. In Jesus’ day the magistrates appointed by either Herod or the Romans were utterly corrupt. Justice was not given, it was sold. Only the rich could expect decisions in their favor. The poor widow had no hope of obtaining justice precisely because she was poor. But she insisted on justice and nagged the judge to the point that he was afraid she would do him physical harm!
Jesus then contrasts the attitude of the unjust judge to the widow with the attitude of God to his children who are calling out to him for justice. Jesus asks, if the unjust judge finally gives in to the widow because of her nagging, will not God our loving Father answer the prayers of his children when they call out to him for justice? The point of the parable, Luke had said at the beginning, is the necessity of praying always and not losing heart.
The question Jesus asks at the end of the parable is a warning: “When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith in the world?” That is, will he find people who persevere in prayer, their faith continuing strong and sturdy, although it may seem as though God is not listening to them. To make the question more concrete: if the Lord were to come to me or to you today, would he find faith in us-that is, a faith that is expressed in not losing heart even though it may seem that God is not listening to our prayers?