Sunday Gospel Reflection for 28th July The 17th Sunday in Ordinary in Ordinary Time
Ephesians 6-18
Lord, teach us to pray
We all know that because of our very busy lives, there are so many demands being made on our time. I often hear people say things like, ‘there aren’t enough hours in the day or days in the week!’
When this happens to us, we can often forget about what is truly important to us in our daily lives. I believe that one of those things is prayer. How often have you said, I will pray when I am not so busy or when I have time? But, let’s be honest, that time never really comes!
In the gospel this Sunday Jesus is praying. His friends say to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray as John taught his disciple to pray.’ But Jesus can’t do this; he can only teach them to pray as he himself prays. And so, he teaches them the prayer we now call the ‘Our Father.’ This is probably the very first prayer we were taught as children. We say it so regularly and quickly that we don’t realise how powerful and radical it really is. The prayer that Jesus offers and teaches are not just words or a formula. Through this ancient prayer, Jesus shares with us the personal and intimate relationship that he enjoys with God, whom he calls ‘Abba,’ which simply means ‘Dad.’ Through this prayer we move closer to God and God comes nearer to us. The ‘Our Father’ is a prayer that helps us to create and sustain an intimate and personal relationship with God. Through this prayer, Jesus teaches us how to pray as he prays and shares with us the relationship he has with God.
I know from experience that it is so easy to stop praying. Too often we say, God’s not listening to me or my prayers are not being answered. Hard as it sounds, prayer is not about me getting what I want from God or even changing God. It’s the other way around! Prayer is about us letting God change and mould us over the course of our whole life. However, this gospel reminds us that this take patience and perseverance. Every time we spend even a few minutes in prayer we are sowing seeds that will bear fruit in God’s time, not ours! Like anything we do, prayer take practise. The more we pray, the more fruitful our lives will be.
The danger and temptation is that when we don’t see or experience any ‘results’ from our prayers or praying, we just give up and give in. When this happens, let us not lose heart. Can we simply turn to Jesus and say to him, Lord, teach me to pray.
St. Paul encourages us with these words; ‘Pray at all times, asking for what you need, praying in the Spirit one every occasion.’ (Ephesians 6.18.)
| Gospel | Luke 11: 1- 3 © |
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Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his followers.” 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 indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial.”
And he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.’ And he answers from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs.”
“So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
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