Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Lk. 11:1-13) “How are We to Pray”)

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Lk. 11:1-13) “How are We to Pray?”

        Prayer comes from the Latin word precaria.  The word means to plead, to ask.  How does God respond to what we ask?  Our scriptures have various answers to that question. 

        One of the things that is vastly different about our culture and others is that when people go shopping elsewhere the price on the item to be purchased isn’t set.  Of course, there aren’t necessarily department stores as we know them in many places. Usually, there are shops that are run by their owners.  In many cultures the owner of a business enjoys haggling.  We, as a rule don’t like this.  We only experience this in a limited way.

        One place we encounter this is at our car dealer.  We might or might not enjoy purchasing a car?  When I go to buy a car, I must do research.  How much is my car worth?  I have one opinion of what it is worth.  Usually, the salesman has a more pessimistic view.  He will see scratches where I don’t.  He will check out the mileage, seeing high mileage where I see low mileage.  He wants an adequate profit margin.  I want the lowest price.  At the end of all the back and forth the salesman will usually say, “Boy you really held me up on this one.”

        Abraham haggles with God in the book of Genesis.  We have a back and forth.  Abraham has some thing he wants.  He wants to save his relatives in Sodom and Gomorrah.  God is bent on raining down fire.  But God says if I can find any innocent people there, I won’t destroy those cities.  For us, it is shocking when Abraham negotiates with God.  How about if there are only 50 righteous people?  What if it is 45?  Is this the way God operates we ask?  When we pray, do we have to extract something out of God?  Are we like the man in the gospel who pounds on the door asking repeatedly for the homeowner to open?  Only after pleading over and over is help offered.

The Our Father doesn’t seem to portray that type of God.  The disciples ask Jesus how to pray.  Many times, followers would ask a Rabbi how to pray.  In a way it is like the student asking the Rabbi to sum up God’s law in a few words.  What they expected was a prayer to say.  The prayer wasn’t supposed to be long, but pithy. 

        Jesus gives his disciples such a prayer.  Perhaps how it starts, is the most important thing.  The prayer starts by calling God, Father.  God isn’t a distant figure.  God wants a relationship with us.  We are God’s children.  When a child asks a father for something usually the father will listen with affection.  When a father must turn down a child usually there is regret.  A parent doesn’t like to see their children in tears.  Fathers find no pleasure in that.  We are to see God in a familial way if we pray as Jesus taught.

        Jesus says something about yesterday, today and tomorrow in the Our Father.  We are to ask for pardon for the things we did yesterday.  If we ask for forgiveness, we will receive it.  Our problem is that we have a hard time admitting we are wrong.  We don’t like to look at examining our faults and failings.  But accepting forgiveness from our benevolent God is the only way to find lasting peace.

        The Our Father says something about today.  Jesus prays, “Give us each day our daily bread”.  Notice the subtle message there.  We are reminded of the Israelites in the desert journeying toward the promised land.  God rained down manna from heaven, but people were only to gather enough for today.  If they gathered more, the bread rotted.  We are to build our trust in God by trying to be satisfied with meeting today’s needs.

        Finally, we are look to tomorrow.  “Don’t subject us to the final test.”  We ask to live good lives in the future.  Really, that is what matters.  Is our goal in life to grow in holiness?  We might have all kinds of worldly goals.  Where does the desire for holiness fit in?  Do I think others would call me holy?

        Today, is a Sunday when we are stressing stewardship.  Prayer is part of Stewardship.  If we pray sincerely every day listening to God rather than demanding something, we will find that we will let go of our insecurities, we will be satisfied in what we have, and we will look forward with trust.  We will give of ourselves and walk away with a sense of joy.

Reflection Questions:

1) How do I negotiate with God?  Do I give something to get something?

2) How have I lived as a steward?  Why should I give myself away?

Dear Parishioners,

        Last Sunday we asked for music ministers for our congregation. The pandemic put a stop to our regular choir activity.  Now we hope to get things started again.  A lot has happened in two and a half years. Some choir members have died, gotten sick, or have moved away.  In “normal” times we would have been recruiting new musicians every day.  But how does one invite someone into a ministry that is not functioning?  This has been our dilemma.

        In a certain way it is like we are starting over.  It would be nice to see new people take an interest.  We need singers and people who can play musical instruments.  Whenever we can add a flute or a horn or a drum it gives us a different sound.

        Can you help us.  If you can, please call our director of music Cheryl Bolt.  If you know of someone who would like to sing but is too shy to step forward or if you know someone who sings well in the shower, we want their help.  In this case we want you to tattle on your neighbor.  We want everyone to feel invited.  Music is an important part of worship, and we want Sacred Heart to continue to make a joyful noise.

        May Our Lady of Peace pray for us,

        Fr. Mark

P.S. Thank you for all those who helped with the bingo fundraiser.  The funds we raised helped offset last winter’s high fuel bills.  Hopefully, we can sometimes raise funds and have some fun at the same time.