Saturday of the Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time

 Lectionary: 496

For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought,
‘While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being, 
because this widow keeps bothering me
I shall deliver a just decision for her
lest she finally come and strike me.’”

I suppose the Lord intended the humor we find in this parable, and his audience appreciated it as we should. It sounds more than plausible. I remember a woman friend who cowed a young police officer when she slid passed a stop sign. She was the head nurse of her ward and knew how to deal with authorities. He let her off with an apologetic warning. 

Human laws are only human laws and, despite our oughts, shoulds, and have-tos, they can be ignored. As Andrew Jackson said of the United States Supreme Court, "John Marshall has made his decision; now let him enforce it."

God's law, however, should not be ignored or flouted. God's justice will finally prevail over every human government, institution, and constitutional law, and those who flout it will be held accountable. When He invites us with his mercy we should not suppose that, "God's okay with me and what I've done; and I need not atone, repent, or make amends. It's all cool!" 

The parable is about persistence in prayer to those who hunger and thirst for righteousnes; that is, for God's mercy which should be reflected in our attitudes, policies, and procedures. It's assurance to the mistreated that God hears, knows, and will set things right. Saint Matthew has given us a similar teaching as he compared "you who are wicked" to your heavenly Father: 

If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him.

Disciples of Jesus hear his Gospel as an invitation to satisfaction and happiness, and as a summons to responsibility. When he calls each of us by name, he also assigns us with one or more purposes in life. But they are purposes which cannot be fulfilled without his Divine intervention. We're like the infantry who must wait for the artillery to neutralize the enemy's fortifications and open the heavily-defended territory before us. First we pray and wait for the right moment, and then we advance. There is no end to our prayer, nor an end to our need for God's assurance, strength, and courage. 

As Advent and Christmas approach we ask God to show mercy to our stupidly materialistic world. Many people can only pretend to enjoy the sights and sounds, gifts and nonsense of Christmas. Through all the distractions of December, we must not forget the helpless, holy infant who was saved from certain death by Mary and Joseph.