Today's Message: 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time C

Genesis 18: 20-32; Colossians 2: 12-14; Luke 11: 1-13

Have  you ever sat down and counted the blessings that God has poured out  on you?  I try to take time, especially when I’m on retreat, to do just that.  God’s gifts are overwhelming, unbelievable and show His deep love.  Why is it that I don’t spend time reflecting on this?  Is it because I want even more gifts?  What can God do for me that He hasn’t already done?  Is it because I don’t appreciate His love?  Maybe it’s because at times I want the kind of love that I want.  Or it could be that I want the kind of happiness that I want, that I feel I deserve.  Am I placing myself in opposition to God’s plan for the world and for me?  Do I find myself slipping into situations that I view God as ‘not fair’ or that God is ‘angry’ with me?  When these times slip into my way of thinking, I cannot seem to locate God’s goodness and love.  I become ‘angry with my world’ and act accordingly.  

Pope Francis writes:  “Mercy is the first attribute of God.  The name of God is mercy.  There are no situations we cannot get out of, we are not condemned to sink into quicksand.”  God just loves us that much and He wants us to know this.  This is the theme and the constant reminder in today’s readings:  God want each person to be aware of and experience deeply His infinite mercy.  If we do this, it permits us to live who God is:  loving, merciful, forgiving who is leading each person to the joys and total happiness of heaven.  There is an urgency to this message, as we hear it today, am I listening?

In last week’s Genesis reading, Abraham had received three ‘mysterious’ visitors who he and Sarah had wined and dined.  They restated the promise that within a year, a son would be born to them even in their advanced age.  This week these visitors accompanied Abraham to Sodom where Lot and his family lives.  God doesn’t hide from Abraham the purpose of this visit:  reckoning with the absolute sin laden people in Sodom and Gomorrah.  Abraham is concerned that innocent people will be hurt.  God is testing Abraham’s sense of justice as we hear God’s words in the verse leading into today’s passage (Genesis 18:19) : “Indeed, I have singled him [Abraham] out that he may direct his sons and his posterity to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord may carry into effect for Abraham the promises He made about him.”  

Paul raises this to a new height by integrating an early theology of baptism.  Baptism immerses the believer in Christ’s death thus sharing completely in the new life of His resurrection.  Why else did He rise…if not to show us the glories and goal of all believers.  Just as He rose from the dead, we have received a sign and promise of our rising from our own transgressions and horror of sin.  God’s mercy is supreme.  He is far more preoccupied with finding even the slightest sign of goodness, living a holy life of love and repentance than with being preoccupied about our sinfulness.  As one author said, ‘No sin is too big for God’s mercy.’  All we have to look at is the dialogue with Abraham and God over the horrible reputation of Sidon and Gomorrah and see God’s willingness to  bring all back to Him, depending on people’s  repentance.  Jesus continually offered salvation to everyone not because of anything we can do to deserve it, but because of His mercy…that is what God is all about.  

With this is mind one of Jesus’ disciples wanted to know how to continue to be connected to God,   Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.”  And we are given the Our Father from St. Luke’s account.  Now Luke was writing to a predominantly gentile community.  These people did not have the long history of ‘praying’ as did the Jewish people nor the Jewish Christians.  Luke gives more of a ‘how-to’ and ‘what-it-means’ approach:  he presents the shortened foundation of the Our Father prayer and two stories that emphasis the need and the persistence of praying.  There is an urgency in Luke’s version.  Both Matthew’s version and Luke’s start out with the proper way to address God, “Father, hallowed be Your name…”  Both emphasize the intimate way that Jesus refers to God in using the term Abba.  This was the traditional term a child would use when addressing his or her father.  Do I dare even to think of God’s presence and  care for me in this way?  I should…that’s how Jesus is teaching us.  Both acknowledge the kingdom, daily bread, forgiveness of sins and protection from the final test.  Luke’s version does not include “Your will be done…”  but emphasizes that one would ask God for daily sustenance and forgiveness. 

All these are found in traditional Jewish prayers.  Yet in these the verb tense is in the future, what the pray-er wanted to happen at the end of time.  In Luke all the verbs are in the present imperative as given by Jesus.  They are demands .  The one praying these words are to want these petitions to be considered right now.  The petitioner is definitely to be bold and demanding.  Do we come to prayer with the same mind set?  Or do we kind of ‘ beat around the bush’ or kind go ‘beg’ or even ‘promise if You do this God, I will do…’?  

Luke emphasizes this in the two stories; one of disturbing the neighbor at night and the other on the need for perseverance.  Are all our prayers done in this way?  Do I keep asking or do I ask for what is needed just a few times, because I don’t want to get God upset?  When I do this, it naturally leads to discouragement.  Prayer requires that I pray and continue to do so…keep asking…be patient…be bold…be sweeping…be persevering…be humble with love for the God who just always loves me.  

Some points:

• God does not tire of forgiving us, do I tire of asking for forgiveness?
• God is always waiting for me.  He is like a parent waiting up for us, worrying about us, and eager to respond with love, forgiveness and mercy, always with a hug.

So I reflect on:  

• How do I pray?
• Where is my focus
• Pray Luke’s version in my own words…what do I notice when I do so?
• What forms of prayer do I find most comfortable?
• Am I comfortable in simply talking and listening to God?
• Do I share my prayer life and prayer experiences with others?  Am I too private to do this?  Why?  Do I feel I’m doing it wrong?
• Does my prayer make me more aware of God’s presence in my life?

Sacred Space 2019 states
   “‘Do not bother me.’  The friend had a Do Not Disturb sign on his door handle!  That friend loved himself and his warm bed too much.  Jesus is different:  He promises that ‘for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.’

   When my prayer is not being answered, the silence of God challenges my faith.  I am told there that I must persist in asking, searching, knocking.  God will answer in God’s own time.”