Twenty-ninth
Sunday in Ordinary Time, 2013
Exodus 17:8-13
Psalms 121:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8
2 Timothy 3:14--4:2
Luke 18:1-8
The
story that Jesus tells us today is about prayer. Prayer and praying are words
and actions which we have heard since we were very young children preparing for
our First Communion or even before that. But at one time or other most of
us do not understand why we must keep on
praying. Why do we need to be asking God
for the same thing? We might think God is too busy, so why bother him again?
Why do we need to inform him of what we want? We are told that God knows what
we need before we tell him. Some may think that we can wear God down by asking
him over and over again like a child asking a mother for the same thing. Or
some may think that God is old and he forgets so we have to ask him again, or
hope he changes his mind.
All
of what I have just mention is only one form of prayer: the prayer of asking
God for something or what we call the prayer of petition. But as with any human
relationship we can get tired of someone who is always asking for
something. So too in prayer. In prayer
There are other forms of prayer such as adoration, of thanksgiving of
forgiveness.
If
we want to grow in our relationship with God we need to grow in knowing God, in
loving God and feeling the peace and love that only God can give. In each of
our life we experience times of darkness or what we might think of being in a
dessert without water or food or rest. So too in Prayer. There are times when
we wonder if God is listening, times when our prayer gives us no
consolation.The most holy of persons have gone through times like that and all
of them tell us that they still kept on
praying. To continue praying during these dry times is to continue to grow deeper
in our religious faith. Consistency in
prayer when we feel like it and when we don’t is most important for our
religious growth.
That
is what the widow in our Bible story did. She was in a Catch 22 situation - A
hopeless situation. She is the helpless
victim of an unjust system. A wealthy man is withholding a sum of money to
which she is entitled. To get her money she must pay the judge the fee or a
bribe which was necessary for her to get a court hearing. Yet until she gets
the money she is too poor to pay the fee.
The
poor widow did not give up. Faithful to the age-old saying that THE
SQUEAKY WHEEL GETS THE MOST GREASE she comes to court every day and
makes a scene. She kept coming for weeks or even months. The judge does not care for the woman or her
complaint, but she will not go away.
She finally finds a loophole in the corrupt
judge's indifference. For the sake of PEACE
he finally gives in, hears the case, and in a few moments grants her what
she has so long sought for in vain. But Jesus also says there is a difference
between the corrupt judge and God. Although the widow's situation was hopeless
she did not give up. But with God, Jesus is saying, OUR situation is not
hopeless. God is not the corrupt judge. He does not have to be bought off
before he will answer prayer. God is always more ready to HEAR than we are to pray.
Talking
to God is the best definition of prayer. But prayer is also listening to God.
Few of us can tolerate friends who do nothing but talk at us. Words are good.
But in addition to words prayer involves our mind and heart. Just like a good relationship, prayer must
include insight and affection.
There are times when
our experience of prayer seems to suggest that God is simply not
listening. Our prayers seem to bounce
off the ceiling and ricochet back to us. Is God deaf, we ask. Yet how does prayer work? Why does
war prevail everywhere when every day we pray for peace? Why does God permit rich nations to ignore
the hunger of millions in poorer nations?
Why do young persons with great
promises die young? The more we see
things like this the more difficult it may be to pray with confidence. Prayer is not magic. And God is not a magician. But God is always with us even when we don't
think so.
God
answers all of our prayers in one of three ways: Yes, No or Wait. A No or a Yes is very clear. We struggle with the Wait. We live in a right now
world. We trade in a computer if a newer model is faster. We want to eat at fast food places. We want overnight delivery. We also want an instant answer to our
prayers. When it comes to prayer, we are the ones who must change.
Prayer
does not change God. Prayer changes us. It opens us up to the action of God in
our lives. Like Moses we may get tired of making the same requests day after
day. But we must not get discouraged. At every Mass and gathering we ask others
to pray with us.
It
is up to each of us to find a method and place and even a position for praying
that works best for us. These too can
often change. Praying takes creativity as well as faith. Rarely will we pray like Moses, Aaron and Hur
did today,with hands upraised on a hilltop.
But, hopefully, we will often pray by reading and reflecting on sacred
writings, including the Bible, as Timothy advised us to do in our second
reading. At times we must pray with
others and for others. We need people to support us. Children need to see their
parents praying, and they need to pray with their parents every day. Family prayer must extend beyond meals and
bedtime. Children experience security as
they see their parents praying for God's help.
And, if prayer hasn't been a family tradition, it can seem very
"unnatural" to introduce it as something we might do together as
family. Prayer must combine words and real actions on behalf of those in
need.
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