Daily Gospel Reflection for October 19, 2025

Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel.

Reflection by Colleen O'Dowd

Today's Gospel: Luke 18:1-8

Today’s Gospel is a lot like the story of the father who wouldn’t give his son a scorpion if he asked for an egg or a snake if he asked for a fish. It's also similar to the story of what the birds of the air will eat or the flowers in the field will wear.

Jesus is trying to remind His listeners that His Father, Our Father, is loving,  careful, and thoughtful with us. He loves us simply because we are His. He desires to give us everything, but sometimes we ask for less. Sometimes we ask for things that are not good for us, things that are not good for others, or things that are just not enough for His beloved.

Jesus uses the example of the unjust judge, I think, because He knows that sometimes this is how we look at God when we pray. We think that God is fickle and holding out until we deserve something or is waiting for us to earn something. We think that He just doesn’t want to give us what we want, how we want it, when we want it. Praying is not like placing an order at Burger King. We don’t get to have it our way. Isn't that how the snake tricked Adam and Eve in the garden?

Jesus desires to show us that if a wicked judge eventually concedes to the persistent widow, how much less is required to sway God? He is just and wants to give us everything that was created good in order that we would be drawn closer to Him. So persist in prayer. Be clear. Be specific. Be bold.

Ponder:

What is one longterm situation I have been praying about for which I can adjust my intentionality or direction in prayer? How might God be waiting for me to ask Him about this situation?

Pray:

Lord Jesus, show me how I can better pray to our Father about this situation.

Copyright 2025 Colleen O'Dowd

Colleen O’Dowd is a parish missionary at Our Lady of Ransom in Niles, IL. She loves being Catholic; her Converse All Stars, Crocs and socks are always liturgically correct; and she is a super-saint-geek! She blogs ultra-occasionally at www.ourheartswereburningwithin.wordpress.com and can also be found @catholiccolleen on Twitter and Instagram.