Homily for Saturday of the 32nd Week in Ordinary Time Cycle I
Theme: The parable of the Unjust Judge and the Persistent Widow!
By: Fr. Diotacious Chikontwe SMA
Homily for Saturday November 13 2021
*READINGS OF THE DAY*
Wisdom: 18:14-16,19:6-9
Ps: 104, 2-3,36-37,42-43
Luke: 18:1-8
*INTRODUCTION*
Dear friends in Christ, the gospel of today, presents to us a parable that involves two people: an unjust arrogant judge and a humble but persistent widow. The judge ignores her at first, but finally grants her justice because she is so persistent. She won’t give up and she won’t go away and so eventually he gives in and comes through for her. Jesus then makes His point. He says that if an unjust judge gives this woman justice how much more will God bring about justice for his chosen ones? What does Jesus tells us about prayer through this gospel parable? There are three things:
*THE THREE LESSONS THAT JESUS IS TEACHING US THROUGH THIS GOSPEL PASSAGE?*
1. First, He tells us that God hears us when we pray. But the response of God to our prayer is not according to our own timetable. This is often our mistake by which we are thinking that God should act when and how we want him to act, that is, according to our timetable rather than His. We need to remember we are dealing with God who loves us and wants to give us what we want and what is best for us. When we are demanding we must do it with love and humility.
2. Second, He tells us that the more we pray, the closer we may become to Him. And, as we pray what we ask for will gradually change. Let us just wait and be patient. Ultimately what we want is what we need. And what we need is to bring our thinking, our dreams and our ambitions totally in alignment with God’s way of seeing things.
How often do we pray? How consistently do we ask? What do we ask for? What do we really want? Do we distinguish between what we want and what we really need? And do we really have that faith and trust in the loving providence of our God?
3. Third, He emphasizes the “necessity to pray always and without becoming weary.” Many of us have a problem with prayer of petition but no problem with prayer of praise or thanksgiving. Yet, if it makes sense to thank God for something it must make sense to ask too. We cannot say that prayer changes God’s mind, but it changes us: it moves us around to alignment with God’s loving will for us. Just like Jesus had an intensely personal and intimate relationship with His Father, so also with us when we pray always and without becoming weary.
*CONCLUSION*
We have just seen that Prayer is one of the themes of today’s gospel. And prayer is a gift from God. It is neither a machine nor a magic formula. It requires battle on our part, for it is an act of love and self-giving. Prayer works if we persevere and allow God to act. Sometimes we will not see its effects. To continue to seek God in prayer is already the best fruit of prayer.
HAVE A BLESSED PRAYER LIFE,. NEVER LOOSE HOPE!
Fr. Diotacious Chikontwe SMA