Today we read about the Judge whom we are told ‘had no fear of God or Man’. He was in such a position of authority that people were at the mercy of his decisions with no recourse to any appeals it seems. It appears that perhaps he may not have always granted the correct justice due to individuals in all matters that came before him.  

The widow wants justice for some wrong that has been done against her although we don’t hear what it was. It’s obvious that she had come to court seeking justice before but those attempts have not had the deserved outcome. Not giving up she becomes a one-woman pressure group and keeps up her quest in the belief that she will get justice in the end as a result of her persistence.

Eventually, not out of any moral duty or fear for God or man, the Judge grants the woman her request simply because he knows that the woman will persist with ‘pestering’ him. He wants an easy life without having to answer to anyone else for his decisions – good or bad.

Jesus promises that justice will be done in due course to all who call on him night and day in prayer. Like the woman in today’s parable who didn’t abandon her quest, he urges us to never be discouraged and encourages us to do likewise in daily prayer.

In the last line of today’s Gospel Jesus asks the all-important question ‘when the Son of Man comes will he find faith on earth’?

Daily prayer is essential to living faith filled lives.

Fr. Gerry