October 20, 2013 - Reflection Questions
Wednesday, October 16, 2013 12:00:00 AM
October 20, 2013
29th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Luke 18:1-8
Jesus told them a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary.
He said, 2 "There was a judge in a certain town who neither feared God nor respected any human being. 3 And a widow in that town used to come to him and say, 'Render a just decision for me against my adversary.' 4 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, 5 because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me.'"
6 The Lord said, "Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says. 7 Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them? 8 I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"
BACKGROUND:
In the gospel text for last week, ten lepers who had been ostracized by the community were healed and restored to their place in the community. The Samaritan among the ten also received reassurance from Jesus that he was among those saved. Following this text in Luke’s gospel, a Pharisee asks Jesus when the Kingdom of God will come. Jesus responds that the Kingdom of God is not like the physical world where something exists here but not there. Rather, the Kingdom is everywhere! This leads Jesus into an extended instruction about his presence among them as the Son of Man. Following that teaching, Jesus tells the parable about the persistence of a widow that is the text for this week’s Sunday Gospel.
At the time of Jesus, widows were without status in society. When their husband died, they had no voice or claim on the property. They were not permitted to enter legal disputes for themselves. Because they could so easily be exploited, they were given special consideration throughout the Jewish tradition. This tradition of giving special care to widows continued in the Christian community and is present in its scriptures.
In order to enter into the gospel text here it is also helpful to know that the legal system of the day was very different. Decisions were not based so much on “evidence” presented. Rather, decisions were based on the number of witnesses, and their status within the community, of the witnesses that would support one side or the other of disagreement. The judge therefore needed to be a man whose decision could be trusted and agreeable to both parties, lest people begin to take matters into their own hands. This meant that the judge had to have a certain personal integrity and be respected. He had to be above being easily influenced for personal gain or by family throughout the community.
While the parable does not include information about the nature of the case, as Jesus unfolds this parable the woman is presumed to be in a particularly difficult place. We presume that if she had a brother or a married son, that person would take up her cause. Here she has been forced to break with accepted norms of behavior and seek justice from the judge herself. Social norms of the day required that women and men not speak directly to each other. But there was a strong religious tradition that one attended to the needs of widows. Jesus describes him as not fearing God or respecting the human person. Jesus is telling us that this judge rejects the two pillars on which all religious life is based, love of God and love of neighbor. Nonetheless he gives in to this very vulnerable and helpless woman. That is precisely the point of the parable! This woman, by her persistence, has prevailed over a strong, powerful judge, and over the social norms of the day. Goodness and compassion have overcome evil and self-importance. The realm of God breaks through even in the most unlikely circumstances.
The question is: can the disciples of Jesus remain faithful and persevere in the most dark and difficult of situations? “But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" (Luke 18:8)
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. Who are the people without voice or power in your community? Who advocates for them?
2. Do you know people who seem powerless to overcome major hurdles in their life?
3. Are there people like the unjust judge of this parable in your life?
4. When might Jesus have felt like his prayers were not being answered or even heard?
5. When did Jesus encounter people who were unhappy that his prayers were heard?
6. Does Jesus’ own experience of persistence in prayer speak to you?
7. What are some of the things for which you have prayed for a long time? Why do you persevere?
8. What are some of the things you have stopped praying for? Why did you stop?
9. Have there been times in your life when you wondered if God was being attentive to you? Have there been times you felt abandoned?
10. Are you looking for signs of God’s presence out there in the world or within?
11. If the Son of Man comes looking to find faith on earth, where will you point him?
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