09 Mar SUNDAY OF THE JUDGE

We are now more than half-way through Great Lent (Wednesday was Michink, the median day of Lent). This Sunday, March 10, is the Sunday of the Judge (Tadavori Giragi). The Gospel reading for this day is the parable told by Jesus about a widow and a judge (see reading above). The judge in the parable is seen as hard-hearted and without principles, fear of God, or compassion for people. A widow in the same town has been ill-treated and she has come to the judge for justice. Although her cause is just, the judge does not pay attention to her case. However, she is persistent and she makes the same appeal again and again until at least the judge decides to see she receives justice. He does this not because he cares about justice, but because he wants to be rid of the widow.

The message of this parable is that we must persist in our pursuit of righteousness and justice with the confidence that perseverance (especially in prayer) will be rewarded.

BIBLE READINGS
Bible readings for Sunday, March 10, Fifth Sunday of Lent, Sunday of the Judge are: Isaiah 65:8-25; Philippians 3:1-4:9; Luke 17:20-18:14.

Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. He said, “In a certain city 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.’ And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:1-8)