Sermon - Trinity 20

The brief and strange parable for today selects a fascinating case to show the efficacy of prayer and to teach the disciples “the need to pray always and not lose heart”. Our Lord asks them – in a critical and pointed question – “When the Son of man comes, will he find faith on earth?” Is he speaking to us today? He surely is!

In our text, the widow obtains her objective. She keeps badgering the judge until she gets what she wants – without a husband or sons to act for her, she has to be persistent, and make a nuisance of herself, otherwise she won’t be heard. The judge doesn’t really care about justice, his job is to administer the law, and he wants some peace and quiet – no upsets to his daily routine. So he finally gives in, and does what she wants.

The characters, on the face of it are to remind us to be faithful in prayer, and persistent, even though we want to give up, we will eventually get what we need. It is the final victory of justice over apathy, through faith and prayer.

Luke the evangelist, who most insists on the place of prayer in the life of Jesus and the disciples – recounts this story for us. We are reminded of the words of Jesus “ask and it will be given to you…everyone who asks receives”. This is a statement of faith, the profound conviction that someone is attentive to our needs, and listening to our crying out. Prayer to God, even in the midst of adversity is the hallmark of our faithfulness – it is the cornerstone of our belief. Our faith is never something that is given forever, it needs to be nurtured and encouraged to grow, and this is done by prayer and action. Both are essential, and both are difficult sometimes. Faith is a gift, but it is also a task.

In the modern world, it is easy for us to forget to pray. When we witness the terrible troubles; war and death, poverty and famine, hatred and intolerance, it is easy for us to forget to pray, and feel somehow protected from it by our own worldly cares. It was easy for the judge in the story to forget about justice, until it affected him directly – wasn’t it?

So we can see the readings give us a picture of prayer, and the importance regular prayer, asking not just for ourselves – and our own concerns – but the concerns of the oppressed and suffering children of God throughout the world.

The letter to Timothy tells contains another significant text. Paul writes that scripture shows us the path of a life of faith; it trains us in “righteousness”. So that we are equipped for “every good work”.

If faith is a task, it involves a fundamental requirement to “proclaim the word” whether the time is favourable or unfavourable.

Paul is writing from prison in Rome to Timothy. The old guard is putting things right, by encouraging the new growth in the Church, handing over before he is finally killed for his faith.

Timothy - who was converted by Paul at Ephesus – is being encouraged to remind the community about the good news of Christ. He is expected to persevere and properly guide the teaching and the prayer – in the face of those who would like an ‘easy life’ by cobbling together all kinds of rules and dogmas.

Timothy was having a tough time if it. He was being told to “correct, rebuke and encourage” not just for a while, but “in season and out of season”. This is the part of the story when his vocation is becoming an onerous task. There is much work ahead, and he is expected to be the defender of the faith.

In a real sense, we here today are being encouraged to speak out against all that is comfortable - the easy route to faith. We are being entrusted with the plans to the kingdom of God, the kingdom of truth, mercy, peace, love and forgiveness. We are being invited to speak out against injustice and wrong, to defend the oppressed and the destitute. To proclaim KINGDOM values and not WORLDLY values to all we meet, in all we say AND in all we do. That is the task of the CHRISTIAN, that is the task of our faith.

God calls us all in different ways, and gives us the gifts to accomplish HIS work. We are trusted to do this.

Ten or more years ago, when God was calling me to do this task, I managed to ignore him for a good period of time. Life was different and I was more weighed down with worldly cares, as the days, weeks and months passed, the constant niggling feeling got worse until I actually trusted in God and took a leap of faith. I remembered this when I read the Gospel reading yesterday, after I had written the sermon. It made me think – it made me think a lot.

Perhaps the widow in the short parable is GOD – who keeps reminding us of the work yet to do. GOD, who seeks justice and peace. GOD, who society has placed in an inferior place. GOD, who is never going to leave us, even though we are not listening. GOD, who is in the right.

AND perhaps we are the JUDGE could be us – weighed down by worldly cares, more concerned by the rules and authority than JUSTICE, always having something else on our mind.

Is it the voice of GOD we hear when we feel that we should do more? Is it the voice of GOD we hear calling us to follow the path set for us? Is it GOD reminding us that the HARVEST is plentiful but the labourers are few? Is it the voice of GOD we hear in the pleas of the poor and needy of the world?

In the week to come, remember that Faith is a gift, but it is also a task, and let us all as ourselves “When the Son of man comes, will he find faith on earth?” May God bless all our