Fr. Agustinus Sutiono O.Carm<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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, \u201cHe spoke a parable to them, that men ought always to pray and not lose heart.\u201d 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In its immediate context, Jesus\u2019 parable follows the last verse of Luke chapter 17, which concluded His warning of an impending judgment. Jesus spoke of God\u2019s 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: \u201cWhen these things happen, don\u2019t give up. Don\u2019t lose heart. We may be in affliction or surrounded with suffering and death, but keep praying, and do not faint.\u201d 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, \u201cGod bless mommy and daddy and Uncle Frank and Aunt Ginny and make me a better boy or girl.\u201d 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jesus said: \u201cHear 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?\u201d 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: \u201cHow much more.\u201d He said: \u201cIf 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\u2019s 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?\u201d 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!\u201d Jesus ended His parable with a strange question: \u201cNevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?\u201d 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.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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, \u201cHe spoke a parable to them, that men ought always to pray and not lose heart.\u201d Jesus introduced this parable by explaining that its purpose is to encourage us to pray in a certain manner and…<\/p>\n