Sunday, July 24, 2022

 SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, July 24, 2022

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

If a student were to ask a teacher to give lessons on public speaking, how would she respond?  Perhaps she would be so stunned as to become speechless.  But once she regained composure, she probably would form a lesson plan in her head.  Today’s gospel can be taken as Jesus’ lesson plan in teaching his disciples how to pray.

The plan has three parts.  First, it indicates to whom the prayer is addressed.  Second, it makes a list of things to petition.  And third, it develops an effective way to express one’s needs.  The best of teachers, Jesus does not lack a sound methodology.

Of course, Jesus wants his disciples to pray to God.  He tells them to call God “Father.”  What is fascinating here is not so much that we are to call God “Father.”  Even the Old Testament in various placers describes God as a father.  What is surprising is that Jesus does not insist that we say “Our Father” as he does in Matthew’s gospel.  In Matthew only Jesus calls God simply, “Father.”  But here in in Luke Jesus permits us to call God with the same intimacy as he enjoys.

Jesus wants us to ask first for peace and welfare for the world.  This is what “your kingdom come” means.  Certainly, the coming of the kingdom will mean the end of violence on our city streets as well as the withdrawal of Russian forces from the Ukraine.  But it does not leave out our own desires for a more worthy life.  Perhaps we are worried that there may not be enough money to pay the rent.  Or we may really need a few days’ rest.  Asking for the reign of God includes these types of requests. 

Also, we are to ask for “our daily bread.”  There are two meanings at play here.  First, “daily bread” means sufficient food that we maintain good health.  Also, the phrase suggests the Eucharistic bread that nurtures us for eternal life.  Because we live on the earth so that we may have everlasting life with God, we should not want the one kind of bread without the other.

It may be difficult for us to ask for forgiveness of our sins.  Particularly in our narcissistic society, many prefer not to think about their sinning. But the truth is that we sin, sometimes seriously.  We lie; we want inordinate pleasure; we consider ourselves better than others.  If we are going to be included in God’s family, we must seek forgiveness from these and other sins.

Finally, we are to ask that we may “not be subject to the final test.” Jesus has in mind the great trials that can undermine our confidence in God.  By this request we are imploring God that he doesn’t take the life of one of our children or that we suffer terribly before death.  It is said that Pope Francis has difficulty with this petition because God would never lead us into sin.  He may be right, but still it is not unheard of that good people suffer tremendously.

And how are we to pray?  According to Jesus in this gospel, we must pray with persistence.  In the reading from Genesis today, Abraham shows how to pray in this way.  He does not cease asking the Lord reduction of the requisite number of good people to save Sodom until the quota can be easily met.  True prayer never gives up because the one praying knows that God always wants to bring us closer to Himself.

Jesus, our teacher, is beyond compare, and his plan has been proven through twenty centuries.  Nevertheless, if it is not put into practice, it will be as useless as a snow sled in the summer.