Avenge me of my Adversary Ex 17:8-13; Tim 3:14-4:2; Lk 18:1-8 (29/C)

Avenge me of my Adversary

 

Ex 17:8-13; Tim 3:14-4:2; Lk 18:1-8 (29/C)

 

“My soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you” (Ps 62).

 

Today’s liturgy invites us to consider perseverance in prayer. In the Gospel, Jesus reminds us about the necessity “to pray always without becoming weary” (Lk 18:1). The poor widows in the times of OT had many adversaries, who barbarously took advantage of their weak and helpless state to invade their rights, and defraud them of what little they have (Jer. 21:3; Is 1:17). The widow presented by Luke was a stranger and alone by herself came to an unjust judge. She had neither friends nor an attorney to advocate her cause. The judge was clearly not a Jewish judge. He was one of the paid magistrates appointed either by Herod or by the Romans. Such judges were notorious. Unless a plaintiff had influence and money to bribe his/her way to a verdict, they had no hope of ever getting their case settled. These judges were known as Dayyaneh Gezeroth (robber judges).

 

Jesus wants us to be like the persistent widow, staying in a relationship with God, confident that God hears and answers prayers. He teaches with his deeds and with his words. To speak from the heart is also to the heart (Ps 44:21). God can read the human heart and knows me better than any words I might use. We do not know what will happen to us in the next minute, hour, week, month, or year. Only God sees time whole, and, therefore, only God knows what is good for us in the long run (Jer 29:11). That is why Jesus said we must never be discouraged in prayer.

 

With the help of Aaron and Hur, Moses persevered in prayer, and Joshua defeated the forces attacking the people of Israel. It was really God who defeated the Amalekites. It was not Joshua. It is really God who will defeat our enemies, not us (Ex 14:14).  Vengeance is his, not ours (Dt 32:35). We need to keep praying in trust and doing our part to put up a good fight. Our Christian Community helps us hold up our hands in prayer. If the love and concern of our God are with us, who can be against us? (Rom 8:31). The widow is the symbol of all our poor and defenseless. It was obvious that she, without recourse of any kind, had no hope of ever extracting justice from such a judge except through the weapon of persistence.

 

This parable is like the parable of the Friend at Midnight (Lk 11: 5-13). It contrasts God with such persons. Jesus says, “If, in the end, an unjust judge can be wearied into giving a widow justice, how much more will God, who is a loving Father, give his children what they need?” Jesus is a model of prayer. He said to Peter: “I have prayed that your own faith may not fail” (Lk 22:32). At the crucifixion, he said, ‘Father, forgive them, they know not what they do” (Lk 23:34), and when he breathed his last, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” (Lk 23:46).

 

Faith is a gift that God gives us. We could not believe in God in hope if God did not first draw us to himself with merciful love, as St Augustine prayed. If we want to grow and persevere in faith until the end of our days, then we must nourish our faith with the word of God and ask the Lord to increase it (Lk 17:5). When trials and setbacks disappoint us, where do we place our hope and confidence? Do we pray with expectant faith and confident hope in God’s merciful care and provision for us?

 

 

“I seek to dwell in the Lord’s house all the days of my life…” (Ps 27:4)