While “The Need to Pray Always” is the title of this parable given to us by the evangelist, the parable itself seems only incidentally about prayer. I would suggest that justice is the real issue.
The world is full of people seeking justice and, all too often, injustice seems to win the day. The widows, orphans and strangers whose rights were championed by the prophets serve as a kind of shorthand for all who are without access to power. These are people who lack both the resources and connections necessary to “make it” in society. The promise of this parable is not that just any prayers will be answered but specifically that the demand for justice will be heard.
In our own time, faith seems tied to a need for comfort and security. Prayer is often all about the individual and his or her small circle of family and friends. Feeling good is more important than being good. Prosperity is more important than justice. Indeed, will the Son of Man find any faith on the earth?
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