Weekly Reflection 101704AD

Sunday, October 17, 2004AD

29^th Sunday in Greentime

God Doesn’t Want a Shiner

Karl Rahner, perhaps the greatest Catholic theologian in the twentieth century, said that in the 21^st century, Catholics would have to come to a deeper personal search for the Transcendent (aka God) in our lives. This would be so because our culture became less focused and committed to acknowledge that God even is!

In today’s Gospel, Jesus speaks to His disciples of “the necessity of praying always and never losing heart.”

In the post-World Trade Center world, we heed Jesus’ Words in a radical way.

Our world has changed, not ended. Yet, Jesus Christ is the Same, yesterday, today and tomorrow. We hear His urging us to pray always without losing heart and, now, His Words are strangely encouraging.

The widow, in ancient Israel, had a special place in the social and economic system. This was because unless there was a son or a brother or father to provide security, a widow was on her own. In the early church, there was an order of older women, whose vocation was, after the death of their spouses, would agree to pray and to serve the needs of the Christian communities. In gratitude, the community would support them in their needs. This order of widows was an ancestor of the order of religious women which flourished in the Church.

A crooked judge was a strange image for Jesus to employ to describe God. Jesus probably had tongue in cheek when He told this story because he tells us that the judge was afraid that she might, literally, “give him a black eye” if he did not acquiesce to her demands. The point is that if a crooked judge will ultimately respond to a legitimate petition, will not a loving God respond even more quickly?

Jesus urges us to pray persistently (not 24-7-365) but on a regular basis. We need to turn periodically to God. Islamic men do so five times a day. Catholics can emulate their example by praying five days a day as well, viz., in the morning and evening and before three meals.

In addition, Catholics are to respond to the call of the Infinite in our lives as a group when we gather for our family gathering each weekend. We accept the invitation to gather, to share the story about Jesus, to share His Meal and then, to return to the new week fortified by mutual support and Nourishment.

Rahner’s warning that individual Catholics needed to get more in touch with the Sacred in our lives is strangely on the money after September 11^th. With such absurd evil confronting us in our own world, so many felt that the only place to turn was to a good God, Who Alone could bring consolation. One of the first ways that New York bounced back was through the compassion of so many to victims. God is here. The greater realization of our need and love for one another is another example of the Divine Presence. The Just Judge is answering our legitimate petitions! Jesus tells us that God will respond to our further appeals. 101704 AD jfq