By Father Paul Nord, O.S.B.
Sunday Scripture
First Reading: Exodus 17:8-13; Response: Psalm 121:1-8; Second Reading: 2 Timothy 3:14–4:2; Gospel: Luke 18:1-8
This Exodus reading occurs after God rescues his people Israel from Egypt. Despite their new freedom, the Israelites grumble against God in the wilderness. In response, God provides them with food and water. After this there is a battle between Amalek and the Israelites, which is today’s reading (Exodus 17:8-13). The same event is mentioned in Deuteronomy 25:17-18: “Bear in mind what Amalek did to you on the journey after you left Egypt, how he surprised you along the way, weak and weary as you were … he did not fear God.” The Amalekites were descendants of Esau, the brother of the patriarch Jacob. Thus, they were distant relatives of the Israelites.
Joshua was Moses’ trusted assistant. Moses charges Joshua with leading the Israelites into battle against Amalek. Moses has a more important task to do — seeking God’s protection of the Israelites during the battle. Standing on top of a hill, Moses raises high “the staff of God” in his hand.
Moses’ staff is first mentioned in Exodus 4:2-4, where God commands Moses to throw his staff on the ground, whereupon God miraculously turns the staff into a snake. In this way, God gives Moses a sign to convince the Israelites that Moses is sent by God. Thereafter, Moses, or his brother Aaron, performed additional signs with this staff, always at God’s command. Aaron struck the Nile with the staff, and the Nile’s water turned into blood (7:20). The staff was also used when God sent the plagues of frogs, gnats, hail and locusts (Exodus 8–10). In 14:16-22, God commands Moses to stretch out his staff over the Red Sea, and then God splits the sea into two for the Israelites to pass safely through. Lastly, in 17:5, God commands Moses to strike the rock in Horeb with his staff, whereupon God provides water from the rock for the Israelites to drink.
In today’s reading, God does not command Moses to stretch out his staff over the battle versus the Amalekites. Rather, this is apparently Moses’ idea — unlike the examples described above. Still, Moses’ actions have the desired result. “As long as Moses kept his hands raised up, Israel had the better of the fight, but when he let his hands rest, Amalek had the better of the fight” (17:1). Because of this, when the Israelites’ finally won the battle, they knew that this came not by their own might, but by God’s power. The image of Aaron and Hur supporting Moses’ hands is quite striking.
Today’s responsorial psalm begins with an image and question: “I lift up my eyes toward the mountains; whence (from where) shall help come to me?” The answer follows: “My help is from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.” The psalm develops this image of God as a protector. The second stanza begins with the prayer: “May he not suffer your foot to slip; may he slumber not who guards you.” The next line affirms that God “the guardian of Israel” will do this.
The third stanza speaks to the experience of anyone who has suffered intense sunlight. It says: “the LORD is your shade.” Indeed, the Lord protects from sunlight and moonlight: “The sun shall not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.” God “made heaven and earth” — he can and will guard us from all harm.
Note the repeated “guardian” language: “The LORD is your guardian.” “The LORD will guard you from all evil; he will guard your life. The LORD will guard your coming and your going.”
In the next reading, Paul gives Timothy this exhortation: “Remain faithful to what you have learned and believed.” Since Timothy had a Jewish mother, he had been well-educated “from infancy” in “the sacred Scriptures” — that is, the Old Testament. This gives Timothy a good foundation for “faith in Christ Jesus,” whom the prophets foretold.
“All Scripture is inspired by God” is a favorite text for “sola scriptura” Protestant Christians, but we should note that Paul insists that Scripture makes us “equipped for every good work.” Thus, our faith should be expressed in good works.
More exhortations follow. First: “proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient.” Proclaiming the Gospel of Christ requires persistence through difficulties. Second: “convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.” These exhortations suggest that Timothy was pastoring a Christian community for an extended time. Patience would be necessary. The ancient Christian historian Eusebius records that Timothy was the first Bishop of Ephesus. In this leadership role, Timothy would have discerned when to encourage and when to reprimand his people — as this text suggests.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells a parable about how a widow forces a “dishonest judge” to render for her “a just decision.” This is a surprising outcome because the widow was powerless, while the judge held a powerful position. Despite this, the widow’s persistence secures a just decision. Jesus then contrasts the “dishonest judge” versus God, who will answer our prayers with speedy justice.
Now we return to the narrator comment that Luke makes before the parable began. Luke tells us that the parable’s lesson is: “about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary.” Therefore, the widow’s persistence is a model for us to be persistent in prayer. While the widow is petitioning a dishonest judge, we are petitioning a good and merciful God who attends to our prayers.
Jesus ends his parable with a curious comment about “the Son of Man.” By calling himself “the Son of Man,” Jesus is proclaiming that he is an agent of God’s justice. Jesus fulfills Messianic prophecy that foretells the arrival of God’s kingdom. Until then, God’s faithful people suffer in anticipation. This fits with Jesus’ parable, which emphasizes that God’s people should persevere in prayer, even through difficulty. Such difficulties test our faith. This explains Jesus’ question: “But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” Jesus’ disciples should be firm in faith and persistent in prayer.