The Rev. Virginia W. Nagel
Ephphatha Parish of the Deaf
Episcopal Diocese of Central NY
Today's Gospel reading is interesting because it really teaches two different lessons.
The story Jesus told is short and simple: There was this judge who didn't care about the law, and didn't care what people thought about him. And there was this widow who for some reason had a right to be given some money by somebody. But the person who owed her money wouldn't pay up, so the lady went to the judge to try and get what she was supposed to have. And the judge couldn't be bothered. Maybe he didn't like the widow...after all, she was old and no longer beautiful, and she had no man in the family to take care of legal business for her, so he probably thought she did not count because she was not important or beautiful or rich. But she WAS stubborn, and she kept coming back to ask the judge, over and over again, to make the other person pay what he owed her.
Finally the judge got fed up and decided to do what she asked, just so she would stop bothering him. So she got what she wanted...the money. And the judge got what he wanted...peace and quiet.
The first lesson is obvious.
Jesus explained that the judge in this story is God, and that he gave the widow what she wanted because she kept asking and did not give up. He hoped that the people would understand that the lesson of this story is that we should never stop praying for the things we need or want; that God will eventually answer our prayer, if we are serious and steady in our praying.
But, you know, there's another way to understand this parable.
In the second way to understand it, God is the poor old widow woman! And the judge is any person who does not follow God...anybody who doesn't care about God's laws or care about what other people think because he doesn't go to church or live according to God's ways.
And God, who is the widow woman, keeps coming to the person who does not believe in God. God keeps coming and giving that person all kinds of clues and ideas about God. And in the end, God expects that the unbelieving person will finally understand that he or she will have no peace of heart until they believe in God and start living God's way.
So: there are two lessons in this one parable, depending on how you look at it. One or the other of those lessons, and maybe both, will fit your life and your faith. Which one is it? Listen to Jesus, think about this story, and see what happens to your own life and faith! Amen.
