Twenty-first Pentecost

             October 21, 2007

     The newly widowed woman was so distraught that she sought out a medium who assured her that her husband was fine.  She added further that he was eagerly awaiting a reunion with her.

     “Is there anything he needs?” the upset widow asked, between tears.

     Again the medium went into a trance, and then said, “He says he would love a pack of cigarettes.”

     “I’ll send a cartoon immediately,” the woman said joyfully.  “But, did he say where I should send them?”

     “No,” replied the Seer somberly.  “But, come to think of it, he didn’t ask for matches.” 

     Or the widow who went into the newspaper office to submit the obituary for her husband and was informed by the editor that each word would cost 50 cents.  The woman paused and then said, “Well, then, let it read ‘Fred Brown died.”  Bothered by the widow’s thrift, the editor said that the newspaper’s policy was a 7-word minimum.  The woman paused again, counted on her fingers, and said, “In that case let it read, ‘Fred Brown died: 1983 pickup for sale.’”

     Sorry, fellows, but we may not be missed as much as we think.

     Jesus taught his followers, both then and now, that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.  So, the question becomes not so much what we should pray for, but how we should pray.

     From the parable in today’s Gospel Jesus indicates that his followers should pray with persistence.  The judge in the story is just the opposite of what a judge is supposed to be like.  We believe a judge is supposed to be like God in his or her judgment decisions.  This judge is pretty heartless and fearless.  The poor widow seems to have no hope in her search for justice.  She has no political clout, no money with which to hire a high-profile advocate, and no way to grease the skids or the palms.  She could hardly expect any vindication from this guy if there was nothing in it for him except to do the right and just thing.  He apparently cared as little for justice as he did for this widow’s plight.  The only weapon in her arsenal is persistence.  So, she showed up every day in court and shouted out her case.  The setting is a little different from our courtrooms.  This one would have been filled with people shouting and pushing each other in order to be heard first.  Apparently, this woman had that type of voice that carried above the din of noise as she yelled out her need every day.

     Finally, Jesus said, the unjust judge gives in to the woman’s demands, not because he is wise or caring, but because that is the only way he can get any peace and quiet.  The point Jesus is making is that even though the judge is heartless, godless, uncaring, unjust, corrupt, and any other thing you may think of the characterize the opposite of justice, he gives in because of her persistence.

     How much more, Jesus said, will a loving, merciful, just, and compassionate God respond to those who cry night and day?  God is the opposite of the unjust judge.  God’s heart provides the heartbeat for the universe, the things seen and unseen.  God cannot be bribed and watches over the fatherless and widowed. 

     Jesus also reminded his followers, both then and now, to pray for the right thing.  It is a foundation stone of our faith to say that God always responds to our prayers.  Therefore, Jesus taught that we should always pray and not lose heart.  Now, please listen carefully.  What I’m about to say, I say to myself and to each one of you.  It is a grave, terrible mistake to interpret this parable to mean that we should pray persistently for whatever we want.  That is self-centered in a theocentric world.  Such an approach to pray is selfish in a world that must include others.  I have prayed that way; I suspect you have also.  “Dear God, don’t let anybody find out about what I just did!  Or said!  Or failed to do!”  Children may ask for cake and ice cream for dinner, but the wise parent will not give only that to them no matter how persistent they are; not before eating a well-balanced meal first, anyway.  Prayers are answered, not on our timetable and not always in the way we wish.  It might be helpful to know that we are allowed to pray only for knowledge of God’s will for our lives and the power to carry it out.  That can become a persistent, daily prayer.

     Finally, Jesus taught his followers, then and now, to pray for the establishment of God’s Kingdom.  “Your Kingdom come.”  We pray that petition and I know we mean it.  The parable reminds us that praying for the clear demonstration of God’s final victory is one prayer that will be answered.  Archbishop Desmond Tutu would be asked how he maintained his optimism and he would say, “Because I have read the Book and I know who wins!”  Sometimes it seems the wicked flourish, the innocent suffer, political systems betray us, and our hearts are broken by senseless acts of violence.  Our spirits get crushed and we stand gazing in the darkness and shout out like the persistent widow, “God, do something!” 

      We needed to remember that God has already done something.  God sent the Incarnate Son into the world to take our broken and bewildered hearts and lift them up on Calvary.  There he died in our place, because God knew something had to happen in us before anything could happen for us.  God understands our pain and sorrow better than we can ever understand it and reminds us that the Kingdom will come.

     The question then rests not with God but with us.  Will we be faithful to the apostle’s teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of the bread, and in the prayers?  Will we seek and serve Christ in all persons and love our neighbors as ourselves?  Will we strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity of every human being?  Will God in Christ find faith in the earth and in each one of us or will we be just a bunch of people praying over leftovers?  Perhaps God in Christ will find such faith, if we pray always and don’t lost heart.  Amen.     

          ~The Rev. G. Thomas Mustard