Saturday of the Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time
Many years ago, I used to be a Medical Biller. Part of my job was to handle claim denials from health insurances. Sometimes I would have to call them, and almost every time I was on hold for a long time. Often I would be on hold for 20-30 minutes, but I’ve been on hold for as long as two and a half hours. I would wait because I believed that there was a chance that the claim denial could be overturned and the insurance would agree to pay the claim. Today’s Gospel reminds me of those times. The widow was so persistent that the unjust judge gave a judgment in her favor. Jesus uses this parable to teach about how we are to be steadfast in prayer.
It can be difficult to pray always without becoming weary. I encountered people who said that they prayed and nothing happened or look at all that is bad in the world and think that God is not listening. However, Jesus teaches us that to have faith is to believe that God will listen to us. If the unjust judge can listen to the widow, God who is just can listen to us even more.
The last line in this Gospel passage struck me, “But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” If Jesus were to come to us today, will he find faith? He implies that faith is tied to persistent prayer. Prayer involves more than us just babbling to God. It means that we have a relationship with God. This relationship should be the basis of our faith. So keep praying. Not only will God answer your prayers but you will become closer to God.
—Sr. Emily Sandoval, FMI