Gospel Reflection Oct 19 – Deacon Frank Iannarino
Sunday, October 19
Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Luke 18: 1-8
Gospel:
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?”
Gospel Reflection:
If someone were to ask you, “what do you need today?” How would you answer? For example, many of us might say we need to rest – to slow down our pace. Or perhaps we need more quality time with our loved ones, or more time for prayer. Perhaps what we truly need is growth in discipline and self-control, or someone who can offer us encouragement and accountability. “What do you need?” is a question worthy of our attention and reflection.
Our Gospel this weekend speaks to this challenge. God will not fail to answer if we ask him where our deepest needs lie. If we bring this essential question to him, God will answer. In telling the parable of the widow and judge – who makes a decision for the widow because she is persistent – Jesus says: “Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says. Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who go 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.”
Ultimately, regardless of the specifics of our lives, if we dig deep enough, if we take the time to reflect and pray with this question, we will always arrive at the same answer: we need God. What we long for is infinite, it knows no end. And the only source of infinite goodness is God. We can, and must, persist in our prayers to God for God alone is the source of our good, and the source of all things.
Deacon Frank Iannarino