Today’s Scripture Readings

Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. He said, ‘In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, “Grant me justice against my opponent.” For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, “Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.”’ And the Lord said, ‘Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?’

It seems Jesus cannot resist persistent women. The woman in this Gospel passage is persistent in her appeals for justice from the unjust judge. The judge gives in only because he wants peace from her pestering. We don’t know the nature of her request other than wanting justice against her enemy.

Two other persistent women are depicted in the Gospels. Jesus is in Tyre and trying to keep a low profile. The Syrophoenician woman, a gentile, repeatedly begs Jesus to cast out a demon from her daughter. (Mark 7:24-30) Jesus tries to fob her off, but she begs only for the crumbs that fall from the table to the dogs. Like the judge, Jesus gives in to her, and the demon leaves her daughter.

The other instance is the woman with the issues of blood whose story is across all three of the synoptic gospels. (Matthew 9:20-22, Mark 5:25-34, Luke 8:43-48) This woman is convinced that she will be healed if she can only touch Jesus’ garments. She does so and is healed. Jesus is in a crowded place but senses her particular touch and she is immediately healed. In both Mark and Luke, Jesus feels the power go out from him at her touch. Jesus heals her almost involuntarily.

It is the nature of God to respond to the cry of the faithful. Jesus assures us that God will ‘quickly grant justice’ to those who are steadfast and persistent in faith. Let us place our hope and trust in the justice of God.