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LINK TO SCRIPTURE READINGS
Jesus told his disciples a parable about the necessity of praying always without becoming weary.
He said, "There was a judge in a certain town
who neither feared God nor respected any human being.
And a widow in that town used to come to him, saying,
'Give me a just decision against my adversary.'
For a long time, the judge refused, but eventually he thought, 'While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being, because this widow keeps bothering me
I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me.'"
The Lord said, "Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says. Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones
who call out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them? I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" Luke 18:1-8
Parables are disruptive. Instead of confirming our expectations and assumptions, they shatter our complacency, forcing us to think differently. Often, they leave us confused, having more unanswered questions than certainties. That's the point. Whenever Jesus tells a parable, it's meant to bring about a complete reversal of the way we think-- and that's precisely what distinguishes the genre from allegories or fairy tales. Following rabbinical tradition, Jesus uses the parable as a pedagogical device, but as soon as we imagine we've got the message, we discover we haven't even scratched the surface of what he is saying. Yes, we're familiar with prodigal sons, lost sheep, good Samaritans, and tiny mustard seeds, but have we played with every possibility? Have we imagined, for example, that it is not the son who is prodigal but his father, or that the lost sheep may not only represent wayward humanity but also God? Where parables are concerned, the more preposterous our conclusions, the closer we are to having a mind-shift. As Nathan Ausubel points out, parables are designed "to keep congregations from nodding."
Let's apply this to The Parable of the Persistent Widow. There are two characters in the story: a widow who has been waiting for a long time to have a lawsuit settled in her favor and a judge who is so lacking in integrity that he has delayed providing her with a just outcome. Jesus doesn't explain who the widow's adversary is or how she has been wronged; however, since no one has intervened with the judge on her behalf, it is probable that there are no male relatives to protect her and that she is seeking a financial settlement of some kind, one that will save her from destitution. The judge's indifference matches her persistence; finally, sensing her growing desperation, he begins to wonder if she might attack him. Only then does he decide in her favor.
Typically, commentaries on this parable suggest that we are meant to be as persistent in prayer as the widow is in harassing the unjust judge. The pairing of this Gospel with the first reading from Exodus 17:8-13 reinforces this theme: as long as Moses raises his arms in prayer, Joshua's forces move towards military victory, but when he tires and his arms rest, Amalek has the better of the fight.
But what else might Jesus be trying to communicate? Persistence in prayer may be one theme, but it is almost too simple. This interpretation implies we should be like the widow and wear down the unjust judge. Are we then saying that God is like that unjust judge, and that the more we "bother" God, the more likely God is to respond? This is hardly an endearing-- or even reverent-- image of the Holy One. Or suppose God is like the widow, vulnerable and despised, relentless in hammering at our hearts until we let her in? This possibility, too, has shock value, especially as it implies that we are withholding from God what is due to God, namely, love and adoration. Or is the widow the Son of Man, returning at the end of time to a world devoid of faith?
Since the parable has succeeded in befuddling my mind, I will let Ausubel have the final word:
"Do not despise the parable. With a penny candle, one may often find a lost gold coin or a costly pearl. By means of a trifling, simple parable, one may sometimes penetrate into the most profound ideas" (A Treasury of Jewish Folklore, 1948).
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QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION
- What are the cries of your heart in this season of your life?
- Have you ever been treated unjustly and what was that experience life for you?
- What keeps you from being persistent in prayer?
- What supports you in staying faithful?
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