Fr. Agustinus Sutiono O.Carm

We heard a parable from Jesus. This is God incarnate speaking the veritable truth of His Father, the truth that cannot err nor fail. This parable starts chapter 18, and it begins with somewhat of a strange introduction. Luke says, “He spoke a parable to them, that men ought always to pray and not lose heart.” Jesus introduced this parable by explaining that its purpose is to encourage us to pray in a certain manner and not lose heart. God will give to a person what is his due, what is owed him, what is fair for him, what is true in the matter. If even corrupt judges sometimes administer justice for those who plead for it, how much more will the Judge of all creation vindicate His people who cry out to Him.

In its immediate context, Jesus’ parable follows the last verse of Luke chapter 17, which concluded His warning of an impending judgment. Jesus spoke of God’s wrath and doom surrounding His return. He talked about days of darkness and calamity ahead. If Jesus was referring to the first-century catastrophic calamity of the destruction of Jerusalem, we may understand why He would follow this message and announcement by saying: “When these things happen, don’t give up. Don’t lose heart. We may be in affliction or surrounded with suffering and death, but keep praying, and do not faint.” The focus of this parable is persistent prayer. Most of our prayers have not gone much beyond the infantile level. We knelt by our beds with our mother and said, “God bless mommy and daddy and Uncle Frank and Aunt Ginny and make me a better boy or girl.” Our prayers shall have gone way beyond that, praying with our hearts pouring with passion and our souls groaning by the Holy Spirit before the throne of grace, praying with certainty of the merciful heart of the Lord.

Jesus said: “Hear what the unjust judge said. Shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?” Jesus was making a contrast between God as Judge and the unjust judge. It was not a mere contrast, but rather the formula Jesus used frequently in His parables: “How much more.” He said: “If this crooked, corrupt, miserable human being who holds the office of judge, who has no regard for God and no regard for people, will sometimes administer justice because he’s tired of people pleading for it, how much more will the Judge of heaven and earth vindicate His people who cry unto Him day and night?” This saying affirms what he taught before: “If you who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” Jesus ended His parable with a strange question: “Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” We are to pray with faith, meaning with practical knowledge about the essence of God and with the attitudes that reflect our fidelity to his essence.