There was a particular software vendor that was after me to purchase a particular product from him. He was always kind, always friendly, and always very persistent. For close to two years he kept in contact with me and would often take me to lunch to see how things were going. Finally, the time I was right. I needed the solution he was selling. I immediately called him and we were able to make a deal. Sharing the faith is not that different. The person we are talking to may not be in a position to receive the truth. Nevertheless, we keep sharing the truth in love. A time will come when they are ready to hear, to receive the truth that is Jesus Christ, from you.
The Parable of the Persistent Widow
Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” Luke 18 : 1-8
Scriptural Analysis – Gospel
Luke opens chapter eighteen of his Gospel giving us a scene of Jesus instructing his disciples that it is necessary that they pray always. They must not become weary in prayer. Implied in this instruction is a comparison to Moses who got weary in prayer during the battle against the Amalekites. When Jesus originally taught the disciples how to pray he told them a parable. (11:5-8) He takes the same approach with this instruction. Of note, this particular parable is found only in the Gospel of Luke.
The parable centers around a judge with questionable character. Rather than fear God and keep his commandments, he has no fear of God nor does he have regard for people. The parable also features a widow who would come to the judge repeatedly asking him for a just decision in her case. In ancient Israel, widows were very vulnerable thus we see numerous instructions to defend them and not oppress them. A God-fearing jurist would immediately feel obliged by Torah to take care of the widow, “Cursed be he who perverts the justice due to the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow.” (Deuteronomy 27:19) Yet this judge feels no such obligation.
This situation continues for a long time as the judge was unwilling to relent. However, the widow keeps pestering the judge similar to the persistent person who kept bugging his friend at midnight for some bread, ignoring his friend’s request to, “Do not bother me.” (Luke 11:5-7) Just as in this earlier parable where the friend eventually relented, we see here also the judge eventually relenting and giving the widow what she wanted. The judge was not motivated by a sense of justice but rather by his own self-interest, namely getting this widow to stop bugging him.
Jesus then explains the parable. Just as in the parable of the persistent gentlemen, Jesus again uses a how much more argument. If a dishonest judge grants justice to a widow who repeatedly demands it, how much more will God secure the rights of those who follow him? They will ultimately be vindicated even if their current situation appears hopeless. The key is their persistence. Remain persistent in the faith even if that means the request is finally answered at the end of time.
Daily Application.
This particular parable is directly addressing prayer, and the need to be persistent in our prayer always. We need to continue to approach the Lord with our needs over and over again. Do not grow weary and do not give up. Part of our prayer should consist in praying for those in our lives who do not yet know the truth: those who do not know Jesus. However, simply praying for them is not enough. We can and must do more.
Recall the conclusion of Matthew’s Gospel. Right before Jesus ascends into heaven he tells the disciples, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20) Note that Jesus did not tell the disciples to just pray for all nations but to go forth. That means that we need to actually go out and share our faith. We need the share the Good News with those in our lives that still do not follow Jesus.
Sharing the faith can be a long and difficult road. It can take years for someone to become receptive to hearing the Good News. Just as we are persistent in prayer so to must we also be persistent in sharing the faith. They key is how do we be persistent. We must always do so with love and charity. We must never become “in your face” about it. However, we must also not shy away from sharing the faith nor water it down. Most of all, the joy and peace that comes from being a disciple of Christ must radiat forth from us through it all.
Be persistent and keep sharing the truth. If you are struggelingh with that, turn to St. Paul and ask for his intercession. Perhaps no one has shared the faith with as much persistece as he did. Follow his lead. Then watch in awe of God at what he is able to do with our persistence.
Comments