17th Sunday - Fr. Leo
Today we are given a lesson on how to pray and some insight into the God to whom we pray. Our first reading from Genesis replaces a fiery punishing God which we sometimes associate with God, and gives us a God of mercy and forbearance. Not if there are ten good men in Sodom, will he act against them. When we pray, it is important to remind ourselves that the God we implore is not an angry man, but a loving God. One who would not give a snake or a scorpion to his son. And if we wouldn’t, how much more loving would God even be?
A second lesson on prayer in the gospel reminds us to be persistent in prayer. Just as the neighbor may be reluctant to help his neighbor with a guest, so persistence wins the day. In this we don’t need to see God as reluctant, but a God who would rather stay in bed rather than help his people. The delay may be for several reasons. One, perhaps God put the perseverance into the man who needed bread. A way of teaching his neighbor that self-sacrifice is necessary in friendship.
A perceived delay on God’s part may also be a way of putting into perspective what we pray for. Perhaps such felt delay brings us to see things from God’s perspective and lifts us up to a higher level of union in the Spirit of God. A no from God may lead us to the bigger yes he is granting us. The cross cannot be prayed away, but it can be embraced in faith as what, according to St. Paul in our second reading, lifts us up to a greater sharing in the life and love of God.
Not knowing God’s will in all things, we are wise to heed Jesus’ advice and in our humble prayer ask, seek and knock continually at the gate of grace, trusting that God does hear our prayers and is blessing us in ways we may not immediately perceive. Let us then be persistent in our payer and pray with all confidence to a God who is endlessly drawing us to himself in his limitless mercy and love. God does want us to share fully in his love and will never cease to do all he can, to bring us into the fullness of his heart.