Will God not answer them?

Abbot Raymond, Sunday morning Chapter Talk

Will he not answer them? Will he delay?

Will he not answer them? Will he delay? These are the key phrases in today’s gospel teaching on prayer.

As so often, the Jerusalem Bible text differs from the great majority of other English translations, and, in this case, it differs also from the Latin. Six other translations, and the Latin, and therefore very likely the Greek, have the sense:

“Will God not answer them? Will he delay? No, indeed! He will certainly answer them! He will not delay!”

The J.B. on the other hand says not “He will not delay” but almost the opposite: “Even if he delays”. That is the more rational approach, because our experience tells us that he does seem to delay – and that delay can be for a very long time.

But I think that, though this is a rational interpretation, it is far from a theological one; as so often, Jesus is proposing one of his many hard, hard, sayings. The very point Jesus is proposing to our faith is that not only will God answer but that his answers are always speedy, dare we even say: instant. God doesn’t say: “Well, just give me a bit of time. Let me think about it first before I make finally make up my mind”.

The rational approach sees no visible tangible answer and therefore presumes that there has been no answer. But the theological and spiritual approach, the approach of faith, presumes a mystery here; it lives by mystery; it breathes mystery. It always presumes on the invisible realities of our relationship with God. It trusts in the inner, hidden answer, which never fails. It trusts in the answer of grace, an answer infinitely more real and powerful and fruitful than the answer that is tangible and passing.

Is that not why Jesus concludes this teaching with the sigh: “Can the Son of Man find any faith on this earth?