Seventeenth Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year C By Rev. Fr. Lucas Binnah Junior, C.S.Sp

First Reading: Genesis 18:20-32/Responsorial Ps.: Psalm 138:1-2a.2bcd-3.6-7ab.7c-8 (R. 3a) Second Reading: Colossians 2:12-14/Gospel Acclamation: Rom. 8:15bc/Gospel: Luke 11:1-13

Theme: Lord, Teach Us To Pray!

Christian prayer is one of the things we take for granted sometimes. We pray every day, but do we pray as we ought? Perhaps, it is because we have not learnt the art and act of praying. Today, Jesus teaches us how to go about it intimately. We are reminded that prayer remains the panacea to nourishing our faith and relationship with God, our Father. Imaginably, prayer is taken for granted because we do not really know what it is, why we must pray at all, and when and how to do it effectively! Hence, let us spare some moments to explore the what, why, when and how of prayer.

Prayer is raising the mind and heart to God. It is communion with God; to know his will and plan for us, to address our worship, adoration, gratitude, as well as, our challenges to him. It gives us the spiritual strength to live and purifies our hearts from the proclivities and concupiscence which poison our souls. It is like the electricity which gives power to an electronic device; without it, the gadget cannot function. Thus, we pray because we need God, his protection, providence and care. If we really know the what and why of prayer, prayer will become part and parcel of our daily lives.

In the first reading, Abraham teaches us that prayer is basically an intimate relationship, a covenant with God. As God’s personal friend, Abraham communicates with God at every point in time. Both of them discuss issues and listen to each other. Their relationship is based on love, respect, freedom, trust, faith, humility and commitment. There is intimacy even though it is a divine-human, superior[1]inferior, sacred-profane, immortal-mortal, perfect being-imperfect being relationship. The Psalmist impeccably understands this and so he sings: “The Lord is high, yet he looks on the lowly…” (Ps. 138:6). Thus, God is not a Deus absconditus (run-away God). Rather, he is ever present with us!

Again, Abraham uses the form of prayer called intercession to teach us one of the ways (how) of praying. The intercessor, like a bridge, liaison, counsel, and go-between, stands in the gap between God and fellow human beings. He pleads, as it were, begs God on behalf of the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham asks God: “Will you indeed destroy the righteous with the wicked? (Gen. 18:23). With this opening remark, Abraham then moves on to bargain with God to save Sodom and Gomorrah if there are fifty righteous people in there. He then reduces the number from fifty to forty-five to forty to thirty to twenty and to ten righteous people. In all his entreaties, there is a surprising answer which reveals the heart and nature of God as a merciful person. For all these numbers, even if there are only ten righteous people in the country, God assures: “I will spare the whole place for their sake…I will not destroy it…I will not do it…I will not do it…I will not destroy it…I will not destroy it” (Gen: 18:26, 28c, 29b, 30c, 31b, 32c). Truly, he spared Lot and his family. So, “righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people” (Prov. 14:34).

More than ever, the world in which we live is hungry for intercessors! We need to intercede for married couples and their children, families and cultures, governments and the private sector, social and religious institutions, and leaders in general. If there are men and women of prayer, then the world will come to know that there is a prayer-answering God, a promise-keeping, a covenant[1]keeping God. There is the onslaught of the devil that has eaten deep into the moral fibre of society. Prayer can break the bondage of addiction, yoke of secularism, shackles of divorce, scandal of perversion of all kinds, particularly, sexual perversion; slavery of depression and suicide, captivity of disease, canker of violence and terrorism and everything that has gained the nomenclature and the notoriety of ‘Sodom and Gomorrah” (cf. Gen. 18:20-21, 19:1-11). These are issues we can bring to prayer, pray about them, so as to experience positive change within the self and the world.

It is didactic to note that in the persistent prayer of Abraham, God persistently replies him to show that he is a prayer-answering God. God answers all prayers even if his answer is yes, no or wait. In all the bargaining of Abraham, God gives him a listening ear and answers his petitions. To this end, the Psalmist beautifully sings: “On the day I called, you answered me, O Lord” (Ps. 138:3a). He adds: “You have heard the words of my mouth” (Ps. 138:1). The problem is not that God is not speaking to us; the fact is that we are not listening, not paying attention! This brings us to the other forms of prayer. It is true that prayer is a communication between persons in relationship. However, most of the time, we keep doing the talking and there is no room for listening. Vocal prayer or praying through words is important, but that is not all that prayer is! Meditation and silence should also be explored if we are to attempt delving deeper into the how of prayer. Most of the time, when we listen, we only do so in order to reply others, and not really to understand them! Therefore, we must learn to listen in order to understand, and this requires silence. In silence we listen to God.

There is a method of converting scripture passages into prayer popularised by St. Benedict, the monk. It is called Lectio Divina (divine reading), a simple form of prayer which involves three main stages. The first is reading God’s word or a spiritual book (Lectio); the second is meditation of those words or phrases which appeal to us or speak to our life (Meditatio). It is not so much of thinking/reflecting, but repeating those words either vocally or mentally. Here, one recites those words interiorly with relish as the Psalmist does in Psalm 119. One keeps repeating those words as long as the repetition brings savour and relish. The third stage is the phase of prayer (Oratio), and it may be done in two ways: one may dwell on those words silently, letting the words sink deeply into them, and allowing themselves to rest lovingly in the presence of the God who has proclaimed those words; or, one may want to address something to God through questions and discussions.

The time has come for us to be like Mary who found sitting at the feet of Jesus the most important thing in her life, and for which Jesus himself said “Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her” (Lk. 10:42). We must learn to balance our busy schedules with time for God. We cannot be too busy to neglect the very life-support from which we draw strength to undertake the ‘so-called’ busy routines! God does not deserve a ‘spare’ time or the time when one has nothing to do. It must be an integral part of our daily timetable. It is funny to notice the irony in life, that, we give little or no attention to the essential things life can never do without, yet, give all the time and attention to the ones which usually and eventually snuff out our very lives!

As we explore meditation and silence, the famous Jesuit priest and spiritual author, Anthony de Mello has this to teach: “Unfortunately in our prayer life, we cultivate our mind far more diligently than our heart. This is one of the chief reasons why we draw such little benefit from prayer. The mind is obviously needed for prayer. We need it to grasp God’s word, to listen to what God has to say to us… But merely being occupied with some truth or reflection will not nourish and strengthen us. If we are to come into contact with God we need the heart. In fact, we need the heart even for understanding the wisdom regarding the truths of God which the mind alone cannot give us. Let us think, by all means, but let us not give most of our prayer time to thought; it shouldn’t be long before we quieten our minds, cease from our thoughts and awaken our hearts to worship him, unite ourselves with him” (cf. The Benedictine Method of Prayer, Chapter 13, in “Contact with God: Retreat Conferences”, Gujarat: Gujarat Sahitya Prakash, 1998, p.151). It is in silence we obtain inspiration and a sense of direction.

In the second reading, St. Paul tells us that through baptism, we have become like Christ. If so, we need to pray like Christ who in today’s Gospel, taught us the pattern of all prayer, namely the Our Father. Before Jesus taught the disciples how to pray, he was already found praying. He simply preached what he practised: “Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he ceased, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples’” (Lk. 11:1). Our prayer life must attract and invite others to build a prayer link with God. By becoming man, Jesus prayed always. Hence, we cannot be human beings and not pray! We need prayer every day!

Furthermore, the Our Father shows that, basic prayer has the ACTS format: A- Acknowledgement/ Awareness/Adoration of God; C– Contrition/Confession; T- Thanksgiving and S- Supplication. All prayer begins with acknowledging, becoming aware of and adoring God. We sincerely confess our sins and ask God’s forgiveness with the intention of doing better next time. We show appreciation to God for his mercy by thanking him, and ask for our needs and those of others, and this is what we communally do when we gather for daily Mass. Thus, the Our Father takes care of our past (‘Forgive us our trespasses’), present (‘Give us this day our daily bread) and future (‘Lead us not into temptation’). Recently, the “Lead us not into temptation” has been rendered “Do not let us fall into temptation” because God, as a loving father does not tempt us. It is the devil who tempts us. God may test or try us to deepen our faith, but not tempt us since the goal of temptation is for us to commit sin (see James 1:13-18). Above all, Jesus tells us to pray in faith, that, instead of asking in prayer for all the things which may be unnecessary, we should desire the Holy Spirit, who is the Best Gift of God, the free gift of God to his children. The Holy Spirit is also the Giver of Life, and the one who helps us to pray according to the will of God. He is the one who comes to help us in our weaknesses when we do not know how we ought to pray (cf. Lk. 11:13; Rom. 8:26

Dearly Beloved in Christ, our strength comes from waiting on the Lord in prayer. By so doing, we will have the power to soar with wings like eagles; we shall run and not grow weary; we shall walk and not faint (cf. Is. 40:31). Let us find time every day to commune with God, and may the good Lord grant us the appetite for prayer! Happy Sunday and remember: #Lord-Teach-Us-To-Pray#