Commentary of the Gospell

October 16, 2022

“When the Son of Man comes, will he find this faith on ea

Dear brothers and sisters: Each one of us has a mission on earth (cf. Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, 273).

We are here to witness, to bless, to console, to lift up, to transmit the beauty of Jesus, to encourage, He expects much from you! The Lord has a kind of anxiety for those who do not yet know that they are beloved children of the Father, brothers and sisters for whom he has given life and the Holy Spirit. Do you want to calm Jesus’ anxiety? Go with love towards all, because your life is a precious mission: it is not a burden to bear, but a gift to offer. Courage without fear, let us go out to meet all!

To encourage his disciples to pray constantly, Jesus told them a parable, not very edifying, of the unjust judge and the impertinent widow: it is necessary to be totally helpless, like the widow, in order to bother relentlessly those who, because they are irresponsible, do not deserve the trust placed in them. If an immoral judge ends up giving whatever is asked of him, what would the good God not give to those who pray to him without pause?

The first reading and the Gospel, as is often the case, coincide in a theme which can be considered as the central theme of the message of God’s parable: the prayer of intercession or petition.    It is not only about the texts we read this Sunday but also about many other texts such as: “ask and you will receive” (Mt 7,7). “Whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give you” (Mt 21:22). 

The Lord invites us to ask him with confidence for what we need, but he does not want us to ask for bread when we need it instead of working for it. The prayer of petition was and still is often a part of spirituality, the only prayer that simple people, like the widow in the gospel, know how to pray in difficult times. 

The basic prayer of Jesus was a great petition: “Thy kingdom come” (Mt.6,10). (Mt.6,10) The greatest petition, the most disinterested and the most directly connected to the glory of God and to our own glory. 

If the poor widow in the gospel was able to make the wicked judge listen to her insistent pleas, then God will listen to us even more. Let us pray for ourselves, yes, but let us not forget others. It is a rewarding experience to pray for others. 

Our prayer should not expect more from the Lord than what we really need. You will see that the Lord does not disappoint those who trust in Him. 

“HAPPY SUNDAY TO YOU ALL”.

Victoria Sanchez - School Teacher in Madrid