Gospel: Luke 18: 1-8
The choices Jesus makes for images in parables are striking. Consider today's story of the poor widow and the unjust judge. The widow is a person who is utterly powerless. She has no status as a woman before the law, and as a widow she is doubly powerless. She is not connected to a man who would have at least status, and she is poor so she has no means of influence or consideration among those who regard wealth as important.
What is worse, she stands before a man who, as a man, has status before the law. Moreover, he is the decider of law and the fate of others before it. And above all he has no consideration for justice, being described as one who does not fear God and who has no regard for human beings. The woman cannot even appeal to notions of goodness or to God before this mean, the only recourse she might have in swaying the judge.
But she comes before him time and again and makes her appeal. Hoping against all hope, in the midst of utter despair, she continues her plea until she secures the verdict she needs. Is this not our status in the world? We live in a world of great hopelessness at times. We could very well just give up and say what's the use, living out our days in despair. Or we could be like this poor widow who continues to live in hope, who never ceases in her plea for justice and right in a world that cares little for such things.
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