XXIX Sunday of Ordinary Time / C
Lectio divina on Lk 18:1-8
My help comes from the Lord
Lectio divina on Lk 18:1-8
My help comes from the Lord
Invoking
O God, who raised hands of Your servant Moses gave you the victory to your people, look at your Church gathered in prayer: 'do that the new Israel will grow in the service of good and overcome evil that threatens the world, awaiting the hour when you do justice to your elect who cry day and night to you. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Read
1Diceva them a parable about the need to pray always and not lose heart: 2 "In a city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for anyone. 3in that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and said: "Grant me justice against my adversary." 4For a little 'time he would not, but then he said to himself: "Even if I do not fear God and I have no respect for anyone, 5dato that this widow gives me a lot of fast-god, I'll make justice because it is constantly bother me" '. 6E the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge says. 7E maybe God will do justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? He will probably wait a long time? 8Io will tell you that their swift justice. But the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth? ".
A moment of meditative silence so that the Word can enter into us and enlighten our lives.
useful steps to meditation
Is 1.17; 10.1-2, Sir 35.17-19; Lev 16.19 to 20, 19.15, James 1.27; Ps 82.3 s; Lk 11.9 to 10, 12.9 to 10 Sap, 15.1, Rom 2:4; 12.12, 2 Pet 3.8, Ps 90.4, 1 Th 5:17, Eph 6:18, Ps 71, 14, 37.7, 69.4, Lam 3.26.
Understanding
In chapter 18 of Luke, the author concludes his long teaching on faith, which had begun in the previous chapter with the request of the disciples to Jesus, "Increase our faith." But faith does not depend on God, give it, increase it or not, faith is the response of men with the gift of love that God gives to everyone.
In the passage for this Sunday, ending this long teaching on faith. At the risk of being misled by the first verse we read, to understand that this is a teaching about prayer. It really is not a teaching on prayer, but it is the assurance of justice in this society. The purpose of this track is justice and the means is prayer.
Meditation
v. 1: He told them a parable about the need to pray always and not lose heart. This introduction is intended to connect the parable of the "little apocalypse" earlier, suggesting an appropriate behavior at the time of waiting.
The recommendation to "pray without ceasing" appears many times in the New Testament. It was a characteristic of the spirituality of early Christian communities. And also one of the points in which Luke insists the most, both in the Gospel as in the Acts.
is important to understand the nuances of this verse. Luke emphasizes the words "the need". In greek to indicate this need is the word used in Luke dein expression that occurs many times and usually indicates a passion as a necessary step toward the resurrection. Finally, "without ceasing", ie almost to resume their arms raised in prayer of Moses Luke gives an expression typically Pauline: me enkakéin which means "do not drop your arms, do not be discouraged." The "pray without ceasing" evokes so much fatigue, refers to the abandonment of arms by a soldier in combat, says pray without ever lay down their arms, without deserting. In fact, the parable does not point to the need of prayer, but trust in God that despite the delay, will do justice to his flock.
vv. 2-3: In a city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for anyone. In that city there was a widow, who went to him and said: "Grant me justice against my adversary." Here is an outline of the characteristics of the two protagonists of the story: a judge and a widow.
The court is described in a brief and incisive as the typical figure of the wicked, who fears God and does not care for his neighbor. The widow is described concisely. The reader knows that the widows, the orphans together, represent a group exposed to oppression and defenseless, because no protection against bullies and exploiters (cf. Ex 22.21-23; Is 1,17.23, 9.16; Ger 7.6, 22.3). The protagonist of the story belongs to this category, but is not prepared to accept the injustice of which he is victim, so he seeks the court to seek justice.
In this attitude we have a persistent pursuit to live a life marked by what the Fathers called "memory of God," to remember that God is constantly at work in our lives and in history: this will lead us to become acquainted with him to discern how to live in conformity to his will.
vv. 4-5: For a while 'time he would not, but then he said to himself: "Even if I do not fear God and I have no respect for anyone, because this widow gives me a lot of fast-god, I'll be no justice because continually bother me. " Judge would not be interested in a completely insignificant event for him and postpone indefinitely its intervention. But the woman does not accept the situation and is using the only weapon in his possession, the insistence.
The judge is a cynical person which affects only its own interest and not the needs of people. But the insistence of the woman changes thought. The evangelist uses the term "bother me." Interestingly, the evangelist who uses the term, which literally is "to make me a black eye." Make a black eye does not mean that much to judge this poor widow hit him with a punch, take a black eye but was an expression that means "damage reputation. "
the end the judge, if only to get rid of that nuisance, and it gives justice (ekdikeô) to the woman, what prevails is not in him a sense of duty, but the desire to no longer be bothered.
vv. 6-7: And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge says. And maybe God will do justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? He will probably wait a long time? Here Jesus offers his interpretation of the parable. He draws the attention of the disciples sull'insistenza not so much of women, which seemed to delay the introduction, but rather on the court.
In his words Jesus expresses the basic thought of the parable. If an unjust judge to agree to the selfish motives of bullying of a widow, as God, which is good father, hear the cries of entreaty of his elect. It is the attitude of the judge the point on which Jesus builds to illustrate the behavior of God, who expresses his point of view with a question: "But God will do justice to his elect who cry to him day and night?"
According to the rabbinic method called qal wahomer (reasoning a fortiori), he states that if a judge is more wicked in the end he decides to do justice to the widow, the more God will do justice to its chosen, since it is a loving father and just.
The expression "do justice (ekdikêsin)", used both for God to judge, means defending the rights of a person, give reason, to ensure that it deserves. For the elect, even when they are persecuted, it is to proclaim publicly, through the full implementation of the kingdom, that their choices were correct and in accordance with God's will is precisely the certainty that this will happen is the salient point of the parable .
There is still a question of Jesus: "And be late against them?". He says that the waiting time will be brief: God will do justice soon the elect who cry to him. This idea, however, is not in tune with what the Evangelist is said in his gospel, namely that the final coming of the kingdom of God is not imminent. Therefore, it is more convenient to read these words not as a question but as a concessive sentence: "Even if he has patience (makrothymei) with them." This interpretation is more likely, Jesus urges elected not to be afraid because God is slow to intervene. God has patience and time consuming, but will intervene when appropriate.
v. 8: I tell you I will do them justice speedily. But the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?. We will have the courage to wait, be patient, even if God is slow to respond to it? Jesus reassures his disciples concludes: "God will do justice with speed (en tachei). The term en tachei does not mean "with speed", but "suddenly". In other words, the delay of the parousia is a reality with which we must deal, in the certainty that God, after having long been patient, will speak when we least expect it and men will do justice to his elect.
The final part of v. 8 which closes with a question is a later addition, which aims to inculcate perseverance in the faith. The delay of the parousia, the growing hostility and persecution had caused a cooling in the faith of believers. The community must then return to a genuine attitude of vigilance, because Jesus on his return are not unprepared. You must have a lot of faith to continue to resist and to act, despite the failure to see the result. Those who expect immediate results, we'll let dismay.
The Gospel in the mind of the Church Fathers
Believe me, brethren, that God does not know that we need? He knows our desires and plans, he knows our poverty. So, when he taught us to pray, he also told his disciples not to be verbose in their prayers: "Do not say many words, the Father you already know that you need before you ask him "(Mt 6:7). But if our Father knows what we need before you ask him, what need is there to ask him, albeit briefly? What reason is the same prayer, the Father knows what we need? seems to say: Ask not for long; I know what you need. But, Sir, if you know, why should I ask? You do not want to ch 'I make a long prayer. But, while in one place it says: "When you pray, do not use many words," another says, "Ask and you shall receive," and why do not you think it's a phrase that coincidentally, is also added: "Seek and ye shall find." E Then again, because we understand that the thing is that on purpose, he says by way of conclusion: "Knock and it shall be opened." He wants, therefore, that you ask, that he should receive, are looking to find, knocking to enter. But if the Father already knows what we need, why ask why try, why knock? Why toil to seek, to seek, to knock? In order to examine the person who knows everything? In another place we find the Lord's words: "We need to pray always and not to be ever less" (Luke 18:1). But if you need to pray always, because he says he does not use many words in prayer? How do I pray always, if I finish early? On the one hand it says to pray always and not never be less, and the other to be brief. What is this? And to understand this, ask, seek, knock. It is obscure, but to train. Therefore, brethren, we exhort us to prayer and you. In this world, in fact, we have no hope in taking a knock in prayer for a fact that if the Father does not give anything, because he knows that is not good. You know what you want, but he knows what profit you. He thinks he's sick - and we are sick, because our life is a disease and a long life is but a long illness. Imagine, then, you go to the doctor. You are to ask that you do drink wine. Not forbidden thee to ask, if you do not hurt. Do not hesitate to ask, do not linger, but if you deny it, do not decompose. If so with the doctor of your flesh, as God, Doctor, Creator and Redeemer of the flesh and your soul? (Augustine, Sermo 80, 2).
"Blessed be my God, who has turned away from me or my prayer nor His mercy." They are in connection with this passage when he said: "Come and hear, and I will tell you, all you who fear God, how many things he has done to my soul" (Psalm 65). These things you have heard and come to an end, so he concluded: "Blessed be my God, who has turned away from me or my prayer nor His mercy." In this how the speaker comes to the resurrection, where we also hope for us, or, rather, who are we pronounce this invocation, and that voice is our voice. Until then we are here on earth, we pray to God that does not remove us from our prayer nor his mercy: that is, that with patience and perseverance, we pray he has mercy upon us. In fact, many find it hard to pray, and while the beginning of their conversion to pray fervently, pray after listlessly, then coolly and then with frequent omissions: if they were now safe! You wake up the enemy, and you sleep? The Lord Himself has commanded us in the Gospel: "You must always pray and faint not "(Luke 18:1). It suggests that the parable of the unjust judge who neither feared God nor had respect for the men and to whom every day was aimed to be heard, the widow. was overcome by the importunity Judge bad but it was bent out of compassion, and began to say to himself: "I really, I do not fear God nor respect for the men, but for the boredom that every day brings me a widow, listen to his cause and render justice. "And the Lord added:" If an unjust judge has done so, your Father will not avenge His own elect who cry to him day and night? Indeed, I say them justice as soon as possible "(Luke 18.4-8). So do not ever cease to pray. As promised to us, even if we are delayed, there is removed. Sure of his promise, does not cease to pray, knowing that this is his gift. That is why the Psalm says: "Blessed be my God, who has turned away from me or my prayer nor His mercy." When you see that your prayer is not removed from you is' quiet! Is not removed from you nor his mercy. (Augustine, Enarr. in Ps., 65, 24).
Some questions for personal reflection and comparison
Pray always: How to implement this commandment in my life?
I feel God as a father who prey also takes care of me? With what I call the conviction and patience?
Pray without ceasing never: Easy to say ... and to do so? How do I live my prayer? I feel like hard work and attention which put in place to overcome them?
When the Son of God comes, will find us asleep, despondent, sitting as a permanent or awake, active and vigilant?
Praying
We heed the words of salvation that the Lord Jesus puts us in the eyes of the heart and let us praise with the words suggested by the Psalmist (Ps. 120):
lift up my eyes to the hills From whence does my help come?
My help comes from the Lord:
he made heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot
not fall asleep on your guard.
not fall asleep, do not take sleep
the guardian of Israel.
The Lord is your keeper,
the Lord is your shade
and is on your right.
By day the sun shall not smite you,
nor the moon by night.
The Lord will guard you from all evil: he shall preserve
your life.
The Lord will keep you going and when you enter,
now and forever.
contemplative act
welcome into our hearts healthy rebuke of Jesus, his healthy realism, his bewildering taunt. Keep faith in adversity, do not give up, not give up, but we continue with the constant battle disarmed and disarming of the Kingdom. Amen.
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