Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart: There was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, “Grant me justice against my opponent.” For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, “Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.” … Jesus said, “When the Human One comes, will they find faith on earth?”
—Luke 18.1-5, 8
God is not the judge, but the widow.
Jesus says, “Do not judge,” but still we judge.
We fail to fear God and respect other people.
God comes to us among the powerless,
the orphan, the widow, the Crucified One,
pleading for justice.
So busy with what we want,
we don’t hear what God wants.
But God keeps coming, keeps pleading for justice.
She does not shout, does not lift up her voice,
but calmly, confidently, again and again she comes.
She will wear us out with her continual coming,
until we do justice.
Persistent God,
help us listen to your cries in the poor,
to your whisperings in our hearts,
to the light in your silence.
We still our minds, cease our judging, and listen.
In our hearts, a river flowing, we listen.
In the unsaid billion prayers, we listen.
We keep praying and do not lose heart.