This weekend we hear the parable of the widow and the judge. The Gospel writer begins with a summation that the parable talks “about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary.” But if we just left it there, we would miss the secondary and deeper meaning behind the story. What is it? Check it out…

1. 1 Deacon Jim Knipper
16 October 2022 29th
Sunday in Ordinary Time. Princeton, NJ
This weekend we hear, once again, one of the parables as recorded by Luke. And when we hear
these parables, we need to keep in mind that they are meant to be drawn in parallel to our lives but at
the same time are designed so that their meanings are somewhat hidden. They often provide at least
two levels of interpretation: an immediate, top surface message as well as a second and deeper
meaning. And this story of the widow and the judge is no exception, for while today’s Gospel seems to
be just about our persistence in our prayer life, it is really a story about relationship, justice and faith.
So, let’s begin by revisiting the two main characters in their cultural context, beginning with the widow
who, by the way, is mentioned by Luke more than any of the other three Gospel writers. Being a
widow, she was among the most vulnerable people in her society. For without a spouse, she has no
protection or status in her society. Living in poverty and easily exploited, she was a victim of her
circumstance and was to be cared for by others. While we have no idea what in particular had been
done to her, she is persistent in her pursuit for justice. We hear that she is tireless in her desire for
fairness. And for reasons not told, she holds onto a high degree of faith that this unjust Judge will
come around and grant her a just decision.
Judges, in those days were mostly irresponsible and had more interest in lining their pockets with
bribes than fostering justice. It would seem, in particular, this judge was not known to be
compassionate nor honest for he, “neither feared God nor cared about men.” He seems to feel that
when it comes to this widow, that his non-action will get rid of her. But after her relentless barrage he
concedes and yields a just decision for her case.
And thus, we are given the summation of our need to be tireless and relentless with God in our prayer
life. For this widow in the story represents what it means to be a positive example of persistence in
seeking to be connected to God through prayer. That the core reason for our persistency of prayer is
so that we stay sensitive to the needs for justice to come. Jesus taught us about timing and patience
when he said, “Ask, and it will be given to you, search and you will find, knock and the door will be
opened. Thus, our persistency has nothing to do with wearing God down. For there is no need for us
to be twisting the arm of God or convincing God to do something. For God knows our needs. God
hears our prayers. God yearns for us to be open to God’s presence.
But, now to gain insight into the secondary, deeper meaning of this Gospel we need to turn the story
upside down. After all, think about it - who would assign God the role of the dishonest and
uncompassionate judge? Thus by flipping the roles and assigning us the role of the judge…and
assigning God the part of the widow it opens our eyes to what relationship with God and with each
other should look like.
Let's begin with our relationship with God. When speaking about God the very best we can do is
compare God (the unknowable) with something that we know. So, we find ourselves often saying
God is like this or like that. Thus when it comes to how we see God relating to us we often fall back
on liking that to the first and primary relationship in our lives - that which we have with our parents.

2. 2 Deacon Jim Knipper
By human nature the parent-child relationships we grew up with were never perfect and hopefully ever
changing and improving. In our early years we begin by building a relationship based on reward and
punishment. By necessity, it was very dualistic: right from wrong. But every time we liken our
relationship with God to that of what we have or had with our parents, we sell God short.
Because God's relationship to us does not change. It is a constant and it is relentless. That is why
God is like the widow. God is always present. God is in our daily lives badgering us to have faith!
How many times in the Gospels, like last week, do we hear Christ say, “Your faith has healed you!”
Faith in God's mercy...Faith in God's presence...Faith in God's unconditional love. None of which we
can earn - it is all gift. Given to all of us without exception. Our challenge is that we find all of that so
hard to believe and thus spend our lives trying to appease God in some fashion.
Now let's look at the relationship we have with each other. And let's be honest, most of us love
playing the role of the judge, much more than that of the widow. Don’t we love spending much of our
time deciding who is right and who is wrong, based on our own viewpoint? We learn, early on, that
we can feed our ego by judging others to be inferior to ourselves. At a teen level and taken to the
extreme it is called bullying. Ego gone rampant with adults is called narcissism fed by building
ourselves up by how much stuff we can amass and the titles we collect...actions that really lack any
sense of justice.
So, in closing, the first and obvious message of this Gospel is fairly straightforward. While it is not
about us babbling endless words in order to wear God down to get what we want – it is a call to live a
life sensitive to the need for justice to come. But we are given this second and deeper meaning which
is more difficult to see, but even harder to live. For we are all called to have faith…Faith in the love
and grace and blessings lavishly and freely given to us by God. God is always there, even behind all
the barriers we may try to put up.
For like the widow, God is relentless with God's love for all of us, and at the same time pestering and
bothering us to foster justice in our lives.
Justice so that all people regardless of how different they may be from us, are all treated with love and
compassion.
Justice so that the hungry are fed, and the sick can afford to be treated and that those without basic
necessities are cared for.
Justice that calls for you and I to break down the many barriers that cause separation between
people.
For remember that whenever Luke uses the character of the widow it signals a certain newness or a
change that is being called for. And thus - God is calling us, urging us, begging us to change. For
this Gospel challenges us to have faith in an ever-loving God who provides us the graces to promote
justice with mercy in the Kingdom of God which is presently at hand, upon us, with us, in us, among
us...now, always and forever.

3. 3 Deacon Jim Knipper