29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Gospel Bullet Points (Luke 18:1-8)

• Mainly, the message of this Sunday’s gospel reading is: GOD ALWAYS HEARS US WHEN WE PRAY TO HIM IN OUR NEED. To underline this point, Jesus tells a parable about a defenseless widow with no social standing. She kept on pestering and persisting with an indifferent and dishonest judge. The judge finally relents, “because this widow keeps bothering me” (v5).

The message is clear: if an unjust judge yields, “Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night?” (Lk 18:7).

• The persistence of the woman who was unwilling to give up until she received justice won out. Jesus does not praise the judge or hold him up as a model in any way. The lesson He gives us is the widow’s perseverance. If she could get favor from an unjust judge for her persistent prayer, how much more can we receive favors from a loving God?

• Through the parable, Jesus tells us to persevere in our prayer and not be discouraged if we do not receive an immediate response to the prayer we make. He tells us that we ought to pray regularly and always, knowing that God is perfectly just and will answer according to His wisdom.

• If an unjust judge eventually gives relief to those who persistently appeal to him, how much more will God give relief to us, His beloved children? A loving God cannot deny a persistent pray-er.