Lk 18:1-8
1Jesus told his disciples a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary. He said, 2“There was a judge in a certain town who neither feared God nor respected any human being. 3And a widow in that town used to come to him and say, ‘Render a just decision for me against my adversary.’ 4For 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, 5because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me.’ ” 6The Lord said, “Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says. 7Will 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? 8I 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?”
A RARE CHARACTER: The Hebrew ‘almana (widow) refers to a married woman whose husband has died, and who has remained unmarried. In the New Testament the word used is the Greek chera. Literally, “widow” means “silent one” or “one unable to speak.” In the patriarchal culture of the Mediterranean world, women do not speak for themselves. It is their husband or grown-up sons who speak for them. A widow who has lost her male support is therefore an archetypal symbol of affliction and weakness. Weeping (Jb 27:15), mourning (2 Sm 14:2), and desolation (Lam 1:1) describe a widow’s experience after the loss of her spouse. Poverty (Ru 1:21) and indebtedness (2 Kgs 4:1) picture her financial situation.
Legislation provided a form of social security for the widow. She was permitted to glean the fields and the vineyards during the harvest. The measure by which a ruler in Israel was to be judged as good was whether the powerless ones like widows were cared for (Ps 72:4, 12-14; Jer 22:16).
The widow in the Gospel parable is a rare character. Instead of one who is unable to speak, she keeps coming to the judge and “strikes” him (literally, “blackens his face”). She publicly shames the judge, reminding him that he is not a Torah-observant judge who should take special care of the widow (Dt 10:18). But then the man is also out of character: he does not fear God or respect any human being. But eventually he gives in to pressure. Without public honor, he cannot continue as judge.
Clearly, if a helpless widow can get through to a shameless judge, all the more can a petitioner be heard by God who cares for his “honor” as a merciful and loving Lord.