July 28, 2013: 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time C
Have you ever met someone who seemed to have everything “figured out” and have it “all together”? Are you the type to have it all “figured out”? I came across a quote which read, “I finally got it all figured out and then I forgot where I put it.” Do you ever feel that way? For the most part, we are attracted to people who seem confident and in control.
Jesus must have been an impressive figure to the disciples. He must have appeared to have it all together and figured out. The disciples were attracted to him, for he had a sense of authority. At some point, the disciples noticed that Jesus would retreat each night to pray by himself, and they were probably curious if his prayer life had something to do with his confidence and sense of authority.
How is your prayer life? How is your prayer life when things are difficult, depressing, painful, and when you feel afraid? When was the last time you prayed with your spouse? Does your prayer time somehow rejuvenate you just as it renewed Jesus? Do you wish that your prayer life was better than it is now? Perhaps the disciples asked, “Lord, teach us how to pray” because they yearned for the peace they saw in him.
Through the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus is inviting us to know His Father who is our Father. After a long grueling day of teaching in villages, Jesus’ comfort and solace was in speaking with His Father. He spoke to His Father about challenges of the day. He asked especially for all who came to him for healing, those who needed forgiveness of their sins, and those who needed freedom from the evil one. He also asked His Father to replenish his strength and renew His determination to do His Father’s will. Could we also benefit from this type of prayer after a long and challenging day?
One of the funerals at our parish this week was for a woman whose life changed abruptly about 20 years ago when she was a vibrant mother and grandmother in her 50’s, and who very active in parish life and in the life of the community. She underwent a routine back surgery, but something went wrong during the procedure and oxygen was cut off to her brain. She went into coma and woke up with severe brain damage which left her unable to use her muscles and speak. Can you imagine what she was feeling after she woke up from her coma? Her family was in shock as well. Some children were angry at God. “God, if you are all loving and kind God, how could you let this happen to our mom who lived her life faithfully serving You?” Some of her children stayed away from the church for awhile.
For 20 years, this mother was bedridden and unable to take care of herself. She had to be fed, clothed, and washed. What do you think her prayer life was like? She was unable to hold a rosary in her hands to pray as she used to, for both of her hands were clenched in a fist. I imagine that through these years, in her own way, she was able to pray the Lord’s Prayer, and as she began the words, “Our Father,” she was able to forget about herself and could gaze up to Heaven to see the Heavenly Father. Having prayed these words so many times before her illness, I feel that the moment she prayed, “Hallowed be Thy name,” she lifted everything she had--her pain-racked body, her love for Him--all of what she had, to praise Him. I wonder how many times she prayed for healing of her body over the 20 years. I believe that when she prayed, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done,” she left everything up to Heavenly Father, for she was at a place where her interior attitude is that of complete openness. She was willing to do whatever God wills in order to bring more glory to Him.
What a beautiful prayer that Jesus taught us! We must remember that it’s not a rote prayer. It is a prayer of trust and surrender of everything into the hands of loving Father. When prayed with reverence and expectant faith, Heavenly Father will give us the same strength and determination that He gave Jesus.
How is your prayer life? How is your prayer life when things are difficult, depressing, painful, and when you feel afraid? When was the last time you prayed with your spouse? Does your prayer time somehow rejuvenate you just as it renewed Jesus? Do you wish that your prayer life was better than it is now? Perhaps the disciples asked, “Lord, teach us how to pray” because they yearned for the peace they saw in him.
Through the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus is inviting us to know His Father who is our Father. After a long grueling day of teaching in villages, Jesus’ comfort and solace was in speaking with His Father. He spoke to His Father about challenges of the day. He asked especially for all who came to him for healing, those who needed forgiveness of their sins, and those who needed freedom from the evil one. He also asked His Father to replenish his strength and renew His determination to do His Father’s will. Could we also benefit from this type of prayer after a long and challenging day?
One of the funerals at our parish this week was for a woman whose life changed abruptly about 20 years ago when she was a vibrant mother and grandmother in her 50’s, and who very active in parish life and in the life of the community. She underwent a routine back surgery, but something went wrong during the procedure and oxygen was cut off to her brain. She went into coma and woke up with severe brain damage which left her unable to use her muscles and speak. Can you imagine what she was feeling after she woke up from her coma? Her family was in shock as well. Some children were angry at God. “God, if you are all loving and kind God, how could you let this happen to our mom who lived her life faithfully serving You?” Some of her children stayed away from the church for awhile.
For 20 years, this mother was bedridden and unable to take care of herself. She had to be fed, clothed, and washed. What do you think her prayer life was like? She was unable to hold a rosary in her hands to pray as she used to, for both of her hands were clenched in a fist. I imagine that through these years, in her own way, she was able to pray the Lord’s Prayer, and as she began the words, “Our Father,” she was able to forget about herself and could gaze up to Heaven to see the Heavenly Father. Having prayed these words so many times before her illness, I feel that the moment she prayed, “Hallowed be Thy name,” she lifted everything she had--her pain-racked body, her love for Him--all of what she had, to praise Him. I wonder how many times she prayed for healing of her body over the 20 years. I believe that when she prayed, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done,” she left everything up to Heavenly Father, for she was at a place where her interior attitude is that of complete openness. She was willing to do whatever God wills in order to bring more glory to Him. What a beautiful prayer that Jesus taught us! We must remember that it’s not a rote prayer. It is a prayer of trust and surrender of everything into the hands of loving Father. When prayed with reverence and expectant faith, Heavenly Father will give us the same strength and determination that He gave Jesus.
