Saturday of the Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time
To help his disciples understand what he was teaching, Jesus often used parables. Today’s Gospel is the parable of the widow and the judge in which the widow is persistent in asking the judge for a just decision. The widow kept bothering the judge, who was described as dishonest, to the point that the judge felt that he had no choice but to give her a fair judgment. Through this parable, Jesus taught that our prayer should be like this widow’s, persevering and steadfast. Sometimes, I find myself and encounter others who are either afraid or don’t want to bother God by asking what we need and want. However, like the widow with the judge, we should be unafraid to make requests and petitions to God. Having a relationship with God sustained by prayer also means coming to God with our whole selves including our needs and wants. In addition, the widow was dependent on the judge’s decision so we too should be dependent on God to provide what we need.
The last line in today’s Gospel passage is striking, “But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” By asking this, Jesus connected faith with prayer. Faith is necessary for prayer. Otherwise, who are we directing our prayer to? By praying, we recognize that God exists. Prayer helps orient our lives around God and makes faith the lens with which we see the world. We are more able to see all God has done for us and give thanks to God like in today’s first reading and Responsorial Psalm. We trust that God can do great things even when we are tempted to just see and feel hopelessness. Therefore, prayer and faith lead to hope. What role do prayer, faith, and hope play in your life? “When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” I hope that we have the courage to respond yes.
I would like to end this reflection with a prayer, the Marianist doxology. This is a short prayer that glorifies God and dedicates ourselves to Mary.
May the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit be glorified in all places through the Immaculate Virgin Mary. Amen.
–Sr. Emily Sandoval, FMI