Saturday of the Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time
In the Gospel today, Jesus offers a strange story, the story of the unjust judge. The judge is unwilling to hear this women’s case, and she becomes dangerously persistent in her demand for change. Unwilling to put himself in danger, the judge rules in her favor. Jesus goes on to say that God is not wholly unlike this unjust judge, that if he—the judge—can be swayed by someone he doesn’t respect or care for, could God not be called upon to secure the rights of his chosen ones? But, it seems, faith is needed to bring about this answer: “But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
It’s worth repeating what many others have said, mainly, that prayer isn’t particularly about changing the mind of God, rather, it’s about God changing us. Prayer is a relationship where we and God interact and exchange our lives: ours for God’s. This consistent and steady development helps form everything we are, what we desire to be, and what we need to be. It helps develop faith.
For our prayers to be secured we must seek faith and for that to happen we must change. God is looking to give us all that we need; if we have faith that he can in fact deliver justice. Prayer is God’s answer to the lack of faith we may have.
Let us be consistent in prayer so that we may receive the faith necessary to gain the judgment we need. When the Son of Man comes, let us hear, Oh what great faith!
Reflection by Fr. Etienne Huard, OSB
Posted in Articles for Lent, Daily Reflections, Lenten Resources