17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

July 28, 2019

Readings:

First Reading: Genesis 18: 20-32

Psalm: 69 “Lord on the day I called for help, you answered me .”

Second Reading: Colossians 2: 12-14

Gospel reading according to Luke 11: 1-13

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Homily: The Lord’s Prayer

Jesus very often communicates to God, his Father through prayers.  He constantly prays, especially if there is an important need he would like to ask to his Father in relation to his mission.  He does not choose any significant place.  When time comes for him to pray, he prays anywhere or in certain place where he cannot be disturbed and distracted.  Most of the times, he prays alone.  “Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples” (Luke 11: 1).  At a distance where his disciples were, one of them realized that Jesus was finished praying.  He was an observant disciple and always looking at Jesus with simplicity and humility.  But one thing he was lacking, the proper posture in prayer, proper disposition in prayer, and what to pray, meaning the content of his prayer.  We, too, sometimes we do not know how to pray, what to pray and the real reason why we pray.  The disciple who came to Jesus might be a former disciple of John, for he mentioned to Jesus that John taught his disciples his prayer formula.  He even told Jesus that John taught his disciples to pray.  We can also ask ourselves if Jesus did not teach his followers how to pray at the beginning of his ministry, for it is necessary to that inquisitive disciple to ask Jesus to teach them to pray.

Maybe Jesus realized also that it is time to teach his disciples to pray to God, his Father.  Since he was still fresh from praying, and he does not want to give the lesson on prayer only to that disciple, so, he called his other disciples to come and listen to the lesson on prayer, “He said to them, ‘When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your Kingdom come.  Give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test’.” (Luke 11: 2-4).  This lesson on prayer is the most beautiful, most complete, and most perfect prayer a teacher can teach to his disciples (students).  It contains an order or dispose to prayer.  We can say that there are three parts, at least, in this “formula” prayer of our Lord Jesus Christ.  First, there is recognition to God whom Jesus called his Father and our Father.  God is our Father for we acknowledged that we came from Him as our Creator and Provider, and as a Father, He listens to our prayers as His children.  Then, we blessed and sanctified His Holy Name, for He is holy.  We, as His children, obey His will and commands so that His Kingdom of love, peace, justice, and integrity of creation may come and reign.  In the second part of this prayer, we ask our petitions and needs to God our Father, like our daily food (bread), clothing, shelter, and many others.  We also petition harmonious relationship to our neighbors by asking forgiveness to those we made offenses, and in response we reciprocate by giving forgiveness also to those who committed sins against us.  Thirdly and last, we believe that God, is a loving and merciful Father, and He will never allow us to put into test by the evil ones and to make us sin against His love and mercy.     

To make the prayer clearer and understandable to his disciples and easy to remember and to recite, as well as to reveal the meaning of it, he told them a story or parable, as to compare God to a friend who came to his friend at the middle of the night to ask for loaves of friend for his friend. 

To explain the prayer he just taught, he gave an example, a parable to his disciples.  “And he said to them, ‘Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him, and he says in reply from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed.  I cannot get up to give you anything’.” (Luke 11: 5-7).  The friend inside the house did not say, “Sorry friend for we too also run out of loaves of bread,” but rather he just said that the door is locked and his children are in bed, it means they still have loaves of bread but he is lazy to stand up and to open the door and to lend the bread.  That is why, his friend who asked loaves of bread became more insistent and demanding just to have what he was begging – loaves of bread for his newly arrived friend. 

Jesus vividly told his disciples the persistence (kakulitan) of that friend outside the house.  The friend inside the house was so bothered and maybe irritated with the demanding friend who asked for pieces of bread.  “’I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence’.” (Luke 11: 8).  He got up not because of their friendship but because of the constant and non-stop yelling and shouting of his friend and disturbing even their neighbors at the middle of the night.

In praying, we must be persistent also, like that demanding friend, to God, our Father, not because He does not hear us, but we must be sure of what we are asking for, for God gives all our needs that is good for us.  “’And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you shall find; knock and the door will be opened to you’.” (Luke 11: 9).  As children of God, we should ask Him all our needs; always seek first the Kingdom of God, always knocking at the door of heaven in good times and in bad times.  God, our loving Father is always present.  He has long arms; He is always ready to move and to extend to us his long arms to reach us.  He has opens ears to all our pleading (pagsusumamo).  He has wide eyes, so He can see us.  And He has big heart to love and care us.

Jesus told his disciples to be open and constantly in communion with God, the Father, through prayer.  “’For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened’.” (Luke 11: 10). In God, anyone who asks receives; anyone who seeks, finds; and anyone who knocks at the door, it opens to him/her.  God is not a stingy, not ungenerous, (hindi maramot), not stiff-neck, not deaf (nagta-taengang kawali); but God is a generous God, so good/very good.  We cannot describe in one word the goodness of God to us, His children.

Again, to make the prayer clearer and understandable to his disciples and easy to remember and to recite, as well as to reveal the meaning of it, he told them a story or parable, as to compare to an ordinary father of the family.  Jesus compared God to a father of a family who provides what is good, and/or best to his children, to his whole family members.  “’What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish?  Or hand him a scorpion when he ask for an egg? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who as him?’” (Luke 11: 11-13).  As a father of the family, despite his limitations (kakulangan)), his weaknesses and sinfulness, he gives fish when his son/daughter is hungry and not a snake; or an egg instead of scorpion.  Jesus knew the heart and mind of a father, that’s why he said, “If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children,” so also our Heavenly Father who knows what we need even though we have not yet asking for it. Even impossible thing, like the Holy Spirit, He can give when we ask for it.  

The Lord’s Prayer shows how wonderful God is.  He is a good Father of the family who provides all the good things we need.  He can satisfy all our wants and desires of our hearts, to have the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts, in our whole being, He can give.  He is not a demanding God, but He teaches us to become demanding children by asking, seeking, and knocking at the door of heaven.  Pray and beg him, and He has answer in all our pleading, whether immediately, right now or it may take time to receive what we are asking for, for He gives what is good, better and best for us, His children.