Will he be slow to answer them?

20 OTTOBRE (Lk 18,1-8)

If there is a teaching that crosses the entire Ancient Scripture, it is the prayer. Prayer is the way to solve all our problems both spiritual and material, both as individuals and as a community, both of the present and the future. The prayer is a request to God to descend into our lives with the power of his mercy. Ester is a true example of prayer in a moment of great deadly anguish for all of her people. It is through her plea that God himself takes the reins of history.

Queen Esther, seized with mortal anguish, likewise had recourse to the Lord. Taking off her splendid garments, she put on garments of distress and mourning. In place of her precious ointments she covered her head with dirt and ashes. She afflicted her body severely; all her festive adornments were put aside, and her hair was wholly disheveled. Then she prayed to the Lord, the God of Israel, saying: “My Lord, our King, you alone are God. Help me, who am alone and have no help but you, for I am taking my life in my hand. As a child I was wont to hear from the people of the land of my forefathers that you, O Lord, chose Israel from among all peoples, and our fathers from among all their ancestors, as a lasting heritage, and that you fulfilled all your promises to them. But now we have sinned in your sight, and you have delivered us into the hands of our enemies, because we worshiped their gods. You are just, O Lord. But now they are not satisfied with our bitter servitude, but have undertaken to do away with the decree you have pronounced, and to destroy your heritage; to close the mouths of those who praise you, and to extinguish the glory of your temple and your altar; to open the mouths of the heathen to acclaim their false gods, and to extol an earthly king forever. “O Lord, do not relinquish your scepter to those that are nought. Let them not gloat over our ruin, but turn their own counsel against them and make an example of our chief enemy. Be mindful of us, O Lord. Manifest yourself in the time of our distress and give me courage, King of gods and Ruler of every power. Put in my mouth persuasive words in the presence of the lion, and turn his heart to hatred for our enemy, so that he and those who are in league with him may perish. Save us by your power, and help me, who am alone and have no one but you, O Lord. “You know all things. You know that I hate the glory of the pagans, and abhor the bed of the uncircumcised or of any foreigner. You know that I am under constraint, that I abhor the sign of grandeur which rests on my head when I appear in public; abhor it like a polluted rag, and do not wear it in private. I, your handmaid, have never eaten at the table of Haman, nor have I graced the banquet of the king or drunk the wine of libations. From the day I was brought here till now, your handmaid has had no joy except in you, O Lord, God of Abraham. O God, more powerful than all, hear the voice of those in despair. Save us from the power of the wicked, and deliver me from my fear.” (Est c,12-3o).

Jesus teaches us that prayer must be done without interruption, until its fulfillment. It must never be interrupted. On the contrary, it must be always repeated. Who prays must be convinced and sure that God will listen to him. Another truth of prayer is faith in the omnipotence of the Lord. Nothing is impossible to Him. But everything is possible to hem. In this faith we often fail. We are very lacking.

Then he told them 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?”

The unlimited arrogance is won by the unlimited weakness, fragility and nullity. The nothingness overcomes the everything with its insistence. God lets himself be outdone by his sons for their persistence and perseverance in prayer. Never might they doubt of a satisfaction. Doubt it is the true worm of prayer. It makes it ineffective and vain.

Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, Angels and Saints make us be persevering.