Jesus tells us today the parable of a widow who goes to the judge day after day and begs, „Stop me against my opponent.“ The judge is indifferent, brutal, and feelingless. But since the woman constantly annoys him, he finally gives her justice. And Jesus concludes with the words: „Would God not stand up for His elect who cry to Him day and night?“ With this parable, Jesus reminds us that prayer is the way we learn to trust. The widow’s patience is an image of faith that does not give up, even when God seems silent. Because real prayer is not about an immediate answer, but about a relationship born in waiting and trust.
How often are we like the widow? We call out to the heavens, but nothing happens. We call out, ‘Please!’, but there is no answer. In those moments, our faith weakens because God’s silence hurts more than rejection. However, it is precisely at such times that the depth of our faith is revealed, when we remain faithful even though it seems as though we are receiving nothing in return. God teaches us to pray with perseverance and trust. However, sometimes silence is necessary for growth.
Once, an old monk taught his disciple how to pray. The young man was impatient and kept complaining that he could not feel anything during prayer. The monk took him to a spring where water was dripping onto a large stone and said to him, ‘Look how the water drips persistently onto the stone. Day by day, year by year. And look what happens: The stone is changing and being shaped by it. This is also how prayer works: slowly, quietly, but surely. It doesn’t change God; it changes you.’ And that’s exactly the point. Perseverance in prayer is not about persuading God; it is about transforming our hearts. It’s about the fact that, drop by drop, it penetrates us as long as the transformation occurs.s.
In today’s parable, the widow does not leave until she has been heard. Jesus asks: ‘When I come, will I find faith on earth?’ It is a profound question: will he find a faith that never gives up, even when nothing seems to change? Will he find a heart that prays even in the darkest of times?
We may not get everything we ask for at the end of all our prayers. But we receive something greater. We know that God is there. He stands by us, even when we cannot feel his presence. And that everyone who prays is never alone. Although the world may seem noisy and God’s response silent, prayer is a light that never ceases to shine. It is a light of endurance that burns even at night, knowing that a new morning will come.
If we look around, we might notice similar ‘widows’ – quiet, unobtrusive individuals who never give up. It could be a mother who has been praying for her children for years, even though it seems her words are disappearing into the ether. Or an elderly man who entrusts all his troubles to God every evening, even though he no longer has the strength to speak. These people embody the gospel. They demonstrate that faith is not about grand gestures, but rather a steadfast heart that cannot be broken.
Today’s gospel calls on us to have the courage to stand before God, even when he seems inactive. It is a guide to opening our hearts to God, allowing him to enter the silence of our days, our pain, and our misunderstandings. God is not an unjust judge who allows himself to be begged. He is the Father who sometimes remains silent because he knows that it is in silence that our faith grows..
