A priest went with a friend to a boxing match. At the introduction of the contestants, one of the boxers approached the ring wearing a rosary bead round his neck. As the gong sounded to start the contest, the ‘devout’ boxer added a triple sign of the cross. Seeing this boxer’s manifest devotion, the priest’s friend turns to him and asks: “Father, will that help him?” “Yes,” replies the cleric, “if he can box” (James Gilhooley). Now, that’s the true nature of prayer.
Jesus is teaching us about prayer in the famous story we heard today. A judge who would always get swayed by bribes and favoritism was coerced to pass a just sentence without the benefit of his usual baksheesh. And this, by a widow who simply was a relentless pest. Seeing that she lacked the socio-economic or political clout to influence the judge, she decided to pick her own battlefield. She told herself, “I’ll hound him continuously and won’t stop until he sees the need to deliver justice.” I like a little stubbornness in people, because some stubborn people can be fun and exciting. The cold, insipid, complaining, persecution-complex, tired and moody types are just not fun. This lady could have chosen to wring her hands and cry, “why me, why me? ...misfortune, misfortune;” but chose not to drawn in self-pity. She rather prayed, “Why not?”
You’ve probably received those annoying phone calls where the marketer at the other line pesters you to buy a product, switch your cable network, internet or phone service. Years ago, when I was chaplain of the Newman Center at the University of Tulsa, I was leaving my house for an engagement at TU when the phone rang. At the rectory in Sapulpa where I lived then, the phone will always announce a caller’s name. I would always ignore “Unknown Callers” or 1800-numbers. But that day, the name announced on the machine was “Ben S.” I said to myself, this could be a parishioner calling for sick-visit. Do you know what? The lady who called kept me on the phone for the next 10 minutes pestering me any way she could to buy health insurance. Not wanting to rudely hang up, she succeeded in keeping me late for my appointment.
Now, let’s look at today’s parable. What is Jesus telling us? Is He suggesting that if we need something from God, we should hound Him until we wear Him down? Or conversely, we just send a tweet or an iMessage to God and expect our request by same day FedEx? Either way, it wouldn’t seem like we’re communicating with the One who is All-good, All-knowing, All-loving, and All-powerful. Like everything though, prayer has certain ground-rules.
First is our faith. We have to believe in the power of God to grant our prayer, and not program ourselves for a plan-B should He, by our reckoning, delay. James Tahaney once said, “It isn’t our prayer that God hears but our confidence.” Second is what we bring with prayer. We’ve got to use our own abilities and intelligence to complement God’s part. Thus, one who prays for a good job would have to sit down to construct good application letters to the right agencies, post the letters, pray, and then wait. Sr. Ruth Fox was right that, “if we’re praying to move the proverbial mountain spoken of in Mtt 17:20, we’ve got to remember to also bring a shovel.” The boxer opening this reflection can hardly expect God’s help if he hasn’t trained sufficiently. Third is our expectation. Let’s face it: we shouldn’t expect to receive everything for which we pray. Nothing in life works that way. For example, the lady who called me to buy insurance would never in a millennium have got a positive answer from me. If she knew that I was a priest and that priests are on a group insurance, she would have spent her 15 minutes more profitably. So, if I can reasonably turn down another’s request, why can’t God do the same to me? God indeed answers every prayer, but sometimes He’s going to say no. That’s why Jesus taught us to say, “Thy will be done.” Finally, after doing all we can and have to, we must, like Moses, keep our hands lifted up in prayer, supported by the Church —signified by the rock on which Moses sat; and Aaron and Hur steadying his hands on either side—in steady combat of prayer and praise.
Fr. Chukwudi Jo Okonkwo