Shikrot Mpwi - Sunday Synopsis
with Fr. Justine J. Dyikuk
Seventeenth Sunday of Year, C –
July 28, 2019.
Readings: Gen. 18:20-32;
Responsorial Psalm Ps 138:1-2a.2bcd-3.6-7ab.7a-8 (R.3a);
Colossians 2:12-14;
Gospel Luke 11:1-13.
Theme: Persistence in Prayer
Introduction
Beloved
in Christ, our liturgy today challenges us to be persistent in prayer. As our
own telephone conversion with God, prayer involves perseverance. This is
because it is not all that we ask God of that he grants us. Sometimes, even
when God answers our prayers, he does it in a different way. Besides, God does
not always answer us immediately. What this means is that prayer demands both
persistence and perseverance. Our reflection aspires to present a summary of
the readings, the various forms of prayer, few examples of persistence and pastoral
lessons.
Background & Summary of the Readings
In the
first reading (Gen. 18:20-32), Abraham bargains with God concerning Sodom and
Gomorrah. Their sins were grievous and the outcry against them was is huge. Therefore,
Abraham stood in the breach for them by intervening. He asked God if there were
50 people will he destroy the city? God said no – Abraham said, how about 45?
God said he would spare the people. When Abraham argued in favour of 30 - God
obliged that we won’t destroy the people. He did the same thing for 20 and 10
and God replied that he would not destroy the people because of the few
righteous ones.
In the
second (Colossians 2:12-14), St. Paul reveals that Christ has cancelled every
record of the dept that we were to pay by nailing it on the cross. He maintains
that we have been buried with Christ at out baptism and raised with him through
our belief in the power of God who raised him from the dead. Paul surmises that
we were dead because of sin and lack of circumcision but Christ brought us to
life in him through the forgiveness of our sins.
The gospel
reading (Luke 11:1-13) narrates how Jesus taught the disciples how to pray. It
tells how Jesus gave them the “Our Father” as a benchmark for Christian prayer.
Therein, Jesus gave the story of a person whose friend comes in the middle of
the night to ask for 3 loaves because a friend had just arrived and he has
nothing in the house. He continued that if the friend answers from inside and
says, the door is bolted, my children are asleep and I cannot get up,
persistence would make him grant his friend’s request even if friendship does
not.
With
this, Jesus said: “Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find;
knock, and the door will be opened to you. For the one who asks always
receives; the one who searches always finds; the one who knocks will always
have the door opened to him. He goes ahead to argue that which father would
give his son a stone if he asked for a bread? Or hand him a snake instead of a
fish? Or give him a scorpion for an egg? He ends by saying, if human beings who
are evil know how to give their children good things, how much will the father
give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.
Forms of
Prayer
The three forms of prayer in the Catholic Church
are latria, hyperdulia and dulia. We shall highlight them thus:
Latria
As a form of prayer, Latria has Greeco-Latin roots. It is the highest form of prayer in the Catholic Church. It is the
worship that is reserved to God who alone is to be adored, worshipped and glorified.
It establishes communion between God and humanity. The celebration of Holy Mass
which involves thanksgiving, petition, supplication and adoration is the best
example of Latria.
Hyperdulia
This is the veneration and honour which the Church
gives to the Blessed Virgin Mary because of her Immaculate Conception,
Perpetual Virginity and unique role in the mystery of salvation. This is what gives
her primacy over the Saints because “God prepared her before hand to be the
worthy mother of his son.” She assists the Pilgrim Church as well as the Church
in purgatory through her glorious intercession by communicating their
intentions directly to her son. May and October Devotions, Litany of the Saints
and other Marian Prayers fall into this category.
Dulia
From its
Greek origin, the term Dulia means
the veneration given to the Saints. It is the honour given to the Saints through
seeking their intercession before God. Examples of Dulia include, the veneration of the Saints and other intercessory
prayers which invokes their causes.
Examples of Personages who Practiced
Persistence
Jacob: In
his encounter with an angel, Jacob
said: “I will not let you go unless you bless me” (Gen 32:26). This is a clear
example of persistence.
Moses:
In the fight between the Israelites and Amalekites, whenever the hand of Moses
was lifted up, Israel won but if it fell, Amalek gained victory (Exodus 17:11).
This shows persistence and perseverance.
St. Monica: It took St. Monica years of tears and ceaseless prayer for her one-time
wayward son Augustine, for God to grant her prayers. Accordingly, her son was
moved by the sermon of St. Ambrose to become a Christian. Through her
persistent prayer, Augustine did not only become a changed person but a priest
rising to the rank of a bishop.
St. Rita of Cascia: Born in 1381, in central Italy, St.
Rita of Cascia wanted to become a nun but her parents married her off at the
age of 12. For 18 years, she was in an abusive and miserable marriage
until her persistence in prayer and faith brought about a change in her husband
who eventually died leaving her with two sons. Rita was persistent in prayer and faith and eventually was
admitted into the convent where she became a nun. “Until her death in 1457, she
spent her time praying for sinners, for the suffering, for those in need, for
those facing challenges that seemed impossible.” In what can be described as a path of tears and
disappointments, she persevered and today, she is called, Patron Saint of
Impossible Cases.
Practical Lessons
1. Pray in Season and Out of Season: By asking God if he could spare Sodom and
Gomorrah because of 50, 45, 30, 20 and 10 people, Abraham teaches us to be
persistent in prayer, in season and out of season.
