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Reflecting On Sunday’s Readings
THE TWENTY-NINTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME—October 19, 2025
Widows
In Jesus’ day most women were financially dependent on their husbands or male family
members. Although there is clear evidence that some widows were wealthy, many women whose
husbands died were in danger of becoming poor, even homeless. Because of their precarious
position, widows were symbols of the poor and powerless.
A black eye
Despite both her weaker position relative to the judge and the judge’s disinterest in her case, this
widow keeps demanding that he render a verdict. She’s so persistent that the judge worries she’ll
strike him, which means she could endanger his position as a judge or literally give him a black eye.
We find ourselves smiling and cheering for the widow as she compels a powerful person to act.
God’s response time
The judge finally does what the widow wants. If this judge, who’s basically a bad guy, answers the
widow’s request, then God, who is perfectly good, will not only answer our prayers, he will answer
them speedily. As the theologian Tertullian wrote, “Prayer is the one thing that can conquer God.”
When we look at our world, however, it seems that God is not speedily answering our prayers for
mercy, peace, justice, healing, etc. Even though this passage promises that God will quickly respond to
our prayers, the parable allows us to express our frustration and sadness that things are slow to
change.
A sign of faith
The question that remains is whether we’ll keep praying despite our pain, confusion, and doubt. For
this Gospel-writer, prayer is a sign of faith. If someone doesn’t pray much or at all, then that
person must have little or no faith. People demonstrate their faith through frequent and heartfelt prayer.
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First Reading — Exodus 17:8-13
1. What has been your experience with spiritual battles?
Responsorial Reading — Psalm121:1-8
Second Reading — 2 Timothy 3:14—4:2
2. How can sacred Scripture help you practice persistence in your life of prayer?
Gospel Reading — Luke 18:1-8
Describe a time when you persisted in prayer to the Father. What kept you motivated to pray?
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Compare and contrast the Father’s response to us with the judge’s response to the widow.
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What does our prayer-life tell us about our faith-life?
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