Dear Parishioners,
Is God really listening? This is probably a question most of us have asked at some point in our life. We may be continually praying for something to happen or we may be praying for relief from an illness and it seems as though the urgency of our prayers is just not getting through. When this happens, there are two paths we can take. The first is to get discouraged and simply stop praying. The second, although more difficult, is to continue to pray with confidence that God is really there and He is working things out behind the scenes.
God wants us to choose the second path, but He understands the challenge inherent in that choice. God has often told us that He will never leave us or forsake us. In order to address the skepticism, God tells a powerful story in this week’s Gospel about a situation that was very familiar to the people at the time.
The story portrays a heartless judge. A judge who seems to be numb to the pleas of a poor widow who is clearly suffering from much anxiety over an issue critical to her. But the judge ignores her despite her repeated pleas and visits.
Most people would probably have given up thinking it was just not worth the effort. But we see a relentless spirit in the widow. She continues to go to the judge despite his lack of concern. Eventually, her persistence pays off and the judge does as she asks.
So what’s Jesus’s point? Is Jesus comparing the harsh judge to our loving God? Let’s think about that. The judge may have been heartless, but he wasn’t deaf. The widow’s words were certainly entering his ears and when he had grown so tired of her nagging, he broke down and helped her.
Sometimes, when we are least expecting it, God answers our prayers. But there is a big difference between God and the judge in the story. God never grows weary of our prayers. He knows what we need and He also knows the perfect timing for sending an answer to our needs. He wants only what is best for us. Our task is simply to trust in His love. Believe me, it is worth the wait.
Sincerely in Christ,
Father Lito