Think about the relationships in your life. Whether it be with your parents, children or friends, how you would you feel if you only heard from them when there was a problem? Perhaps they are having trouble with someone at work or school. Maybe they need help with something around the house. They could even be in a situation where they need money or some other kind of support. Clearly you would offer them whatever help was needed, but if this was the only time you heard from them, you would probably feel a little resentful or disappointed in your relationship. How much nicer would it be if you also heard from them when something good happened in their life? How much happier would you be if they called you up to just talk about your day or say hi? How much better would your relationship be if they shared not only their problems, but their hopes and dreams, their desires and fears? Most of us would agree that this is the relationship we desire with those who are closest to us.
This is the kind of relationship God desires to have with each of us. Too often, we only turn to God when their is a problem. When someone in our lives is sick, we pray. When we are having difficulty making a decision, we pray. When our relationships are in trouble, we pray. But what about the other moments in our life? When you get a raise or promotion at work, is your first instinct to offer God a prayer of thanksgiving? When you see a beautiful sunrise, do you offer God a prayer of praise for His creation? Do you ever just talk to God about what is going on in your life? Do you ever just sit in silence and listen to what God is trying to tell you?
This is the kind of relationship Jesus is urging his disciples to have when he tells them this parable. We are called to have a life of prayer, rather than just prayer moments. As St. Paul urges us, "Pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances." In all that we do, we should be praying to God: prayers of thanksgiving, petitions, praise and confession. We should be talking to God constantly throughout the day: sharing with Him our deepest fears and desires, asking Him for guidance, praising Him for the great things He is doing in our lives and our world. And if we do this, we are assured by Jesus that our prayers will be answered. Just as it was through her persistence that the widow finally received a judgment from the dishonest judge, it is through our persistent prayer that we will have our prayers answered. And then, we will truly have a relationship with God worth talking about.