October 19, 2025
Luke 18: 1-8
Today’s Gospel seems to have been written especially for us in the reality we face today. The Community of Luke places this parable immediately after the text that begins to describe what should happen with the coming and revelation of the Son of Man, a time filled with uncertainty, fear, the disappearance of people, and cruel realities without law or security. Immediately after this terrifying description, the community of Luke, in the person of Jesus, tells the parable of the widow, poor and wronged, but also courageous, resilient, and fearless. For a long time, she has been demanding that the judge of her town deliver justice for her against her adversary. In Jewish culture, the widow is to be respected, protected, and defended. She belongs to the vulnerable group for whom God demands special protection and treatment. But this judge did not fear God and respected no one. For a long time, the judge ignored the widow’s presence and request. But she never gave up on her quest for justice. She always returned despite the mistreatment and ignorance, always seeking justice. And the judge always dismissed the widow, considering her an unfortunate nuisance and an unwelcome presence. But one day the judge decides to attend to the widow. He attends, not because it’s his job or role in society, not because he recognizes her right, but because she was bothering him and he fears a stronger attack. And Jesus, finishing the parable, asks: “And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, both men and women, who cry out to him day and night?” Jesus’ answer is yes. God will bring about justice, but “when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” With this question, Jesus guides our understanding and reflection on the parable of the widow. Jesus calls us to deepen our understanding of the true meaning of prayer. He introduces the parable by speaking of the need to pray always and never lose heart. The word “PRAYER” in Portuguese is ORAÇÂO. It is made up of two words: orar (to pray) and ação (to act). Praying only with words and cries, praying without acting for justice, is not prayer. Praying only with words does not have a magical, instantaneous effect. Praying is, rather, understanding the reality and situation in which one lives, pondering this reality with God and the community, and then acting to change the unjust and inhumane situation.
True prayer is an arduous task of personal and communal reflection to bring to light and keep alive and well God’s plan for our earth—a plan for justice, solidarity, fraternity, and, above all, the tireless defense of the vulnerable, the excluded, the oppressed, and the marginalized. The widow’s request is for justice to be served and thus improve her personal and social life, as well as that of others like her. The judge’s role, regardless of his or her beliefs or lack thereof, is to uphold this plan by defending true justice, a justice that doesn’t yield to money, threats, or self-serving pressure. The judge’s work has a social purpose: to make society and the world more just, supportive, and inclusive. The judge’s reason for attending to the widow is interesting. It often reveals the rationale of “institutionalized justice” in addressing emerging problems, especially those of the poor, marginalized, and excluded…when these people can even reach a judge’s office. The judge decided to attend to the widow to avoid potential aggression on her part. Where does such a justification come from? What are the powers of a widow to attack a judge, of the poor to threaten and attack a judge?
So, how should we understand this “faith on earth” that Jesus speaks of? Praying always in the sense Jesus speaks of is a cosmic, social, and personal matter, a matter that touches all realities that exist in this world. This prayer is a personal and social cry to create a more just, supportive, and fraternal world for all, a world that welcomes and defends the vulnerable! It is a prayer that demands courageous and constant action. It demands a faith without measure and without limits. This is faith on earth: participating in the continuous creation of a different, just, and supportive world, a world where we can see and say, together with our Creator: “Everything is very good.”
Who are the widows among us who need justice? Who are the judges responsible for defending this justice? Who is responsible for upholding faith on earth: faith in whom, in what, for whom, and for what?
Luke 18: 1-8
Jesus told his disciples a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary. He said, “There was a judge in a certain town who neither feared God nor respected any human being. And a widow in that town used to come to him and say, ‘Render a just decision for me against my adversary.’ 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, because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me.'”
The Lord said, “Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says. 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? 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?”
The Gospel of the Lord
Meet Sister Jane Dwyer, SNDdeN
