Luke 18: 1-8

Then Jesus taught the followers that they should always pray and never lose hope. He used this story to teach them:

“Once there was a judge in a town. He did not care about God. He also did not care what people thought about him. In that same town there was a woman whose husband had died.

She came many times to this judge and said, ‘There is a man who is doing bad things to me. Give me my rights!’

But the judge did not want to help the woman. After a long time, the judge thought to himself, ‘I don’t care about God. And I don’t care about what people think. But this woman is bothering me. If I give her what she wants, then she will leave me alone. But if I don’t give her what she wants, she will bother me until I am sick.’”

The Lord said, “Listen, there is meaning in what the bad judge said. God’s people shout to him night and day, and he will always give them what is right. He will not be slow to answer them. I tell you, God will help his people quickly.

But when the Son of Man comes again, will he find people on earth who believe in him?”

Gospel Reflection

The judge put the widow off several times. However, the woman persisted. She would not let the judge rest. Finally the judge realized that if he wanted any peace in his life, he would have to make a just decision in the widow’s case. He was concerned that if he did not make a fair judgment, the widow might come and strike him.

How persistent are we with God? If I need or desire a gift, a healing or a sense of peace from God, how persistent am I? How persistent are you? Are we willing to patiently wait for God to act? We know that God is not a ‘vending machine.’ However, at times, I approach God as I would a vending machine. I come and place my petitions before God and then hope I receive an answer (preferably in the very near future). However, God is not a vending machine. And God’s timing is not our timing.

Perhaps the question for us is: Do I truly believe that God is with me? Do I trust that God hears my prayers and my longings? Do I trust that God will grace me? I doubt that any one of us truly wants a “vending machine God.” Thus, are we willing to trust and believe in our God who loves us? Today (and every day) God is gifting us and gracing us! May we have the eyes, minds and hearts to recognize the many ways God will grace us today.