When Jesus tells a parable about two men praying, one a Pharisee who does everything right and the other a tax collector who recognizes his own faults yet asks for God’s mercy, it’s tempting to side with the tax collector. Especially since Jesus ends the parable in a way that basically states we must be humble.
But what if it’s a trap?
Perhaps there’s more to the story.
Accompanying scripture:
Jacob wrestles all night with a holy presence. He cannot win, but he will not let his opponent go until he gives Jacob his blessing.
A widow brings a case of injustice to the attention of a judge who neither fears God nor respects the people he is supposed to serve. But the widow refuses to let go, and returns to the court day after day seeking justice.
Mother Teresa experienced years of feeling that God was absent from her, yet through those years she continued to pour herself out in love for the poorest and most vulnerable people in Calcutta, India.
In times of anxiety, in the face of injustice, and grief, what does faith look like? What does faith look like in your life?
Accompanying scripture:
God often speaks through people on the margins.
Are we listening?
Do we have eyes to see the Kingdom of God among us?
Accompanying scripture:
Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7
Luke 17:11-19
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