17TH ORDINARY SUNDAY C, 2016
Gen 18:20-32; Col 2:12-14; Lk 11:1-13
PRAYER
Jesus taught his disciples the Universal prayer, ‘Our Father’ where in, the first part focuses on the praises of God and second part focuses on human needs. I am not intending to give an elaborate explanation of OUR FATHER, but I would like you to reflect upon a new way of understanding and a new definition to the prayer. We have learned in Catechism that prayer is a conversation with God. In this conversation (Our Father) there are three issues involved.
ESTABLISHMENT OF FATHER AND CHILD RELATIONSHIP: In the Old Testament God is presented as God of Warrior, God of anger, God of revenge, God of punishment and so on. People are afraid to approach even the presence of God. As a result the relationship between God and people remained at the level MASTER AND SERVANT as God himself portrays it.
After God becoming man, and during the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan, for the first time man is accepted as son of God. In order to bring it to a biological reality Jesus sacrificed himself upon the Cross and gave his body and blood, for the transformation of our human nature into his divine nature. St Paul acknowledges is saying, “It’s no longer I, but Christ who lives in me”. Jesus wants us to realize this relationship esp. when we converse with God. Hence he taught them to call God as Father so as to approach God with love, affection and with an unconditional trust as a child. Man should be able to experience the paternal love and care, in the presence of God. That is why he gave the example of a father who can’t give his child either snake or scorpion when is asked for a fish or an egg. And this relationship or atmosphere opens our hearts for a NEW WAY OF UNDERSTANDING THE PRAYER in our lives.
UNION WITH GOD: Prayer is not a simple conversation. There is something beyond it. We are aware that there are two dimensions in Prayer. 1) Community prayer (more of verbal) 2) Personal Prayer.
The ultimate aim of any prayer is nothing else but union with the lord. It is becoming one with the Lord so as to be radiated like God (just like Moses when he came down from Mount Sinai). It is the breath of our life. Above all Prayer is A MOMENT OF EMPTINESS, a moment of blankness.
When we enter into conversation with God, it requires the CONCENTRATION UPON GOD.
It is said that A businessman who needed millions of dollars to clinch an important deal went to church to pray for the money. By chance he knelt next to a man who was praying for $100 to pay an urgent debt. The businessman took out his wallet and pressed $100 into the other man’s hand. Overjoyed, the man got up and left the church. The businessman then closed his eyes and prayed, “And now, Lord, I can have your undivided attention for me….”
So it is not concentration of God upon us, but we need to concentrate ourselves upon God. In the Church, when we concentrate upon God, we shatter all other thoughts, all other worries and concerns. We concentrate on our senses, on the man inside us and on the Christ inside us which helps us to control our body, mind and all our senses. It is then we arrive at a moment of blankness or emptiness. Nothing is in our minds, in our thoughts except God and God alone. It is those moments that reset our entire system. It affects our Physical system, Nervous system, Psychological system and intellectual system. And this leads us into internal peace. WHEN WE ARE IN THIS STATUS OF EMPTINESS, we lose or empty our identity and the other identity enters, i.e. “I am who I am”. The other party enters into conversation; a voice, a word, which overwhelms us, takes possession of ourselves. As a result we are filled with a new spirit, the power of God and this is radiated and resulted in our thinking process, attitudes and even in our faces, which reflects in our actions.
(When you get down your cars to enter into the Church and when you get back in to the cars after coming out of the church look at your faces in the mirrors and see the changes…)
It is in this status we attain the power of God. A power to overcome evil, to withstand the difficulties; and
Power even to give life. It brings peace and tranquility and it is a way for peaceful life! The other formal prayers are also important as well, for, they become the base for this. Formal prayers enable us, carry us to feel the presence of the Lord and lead us to concentration.
ASK FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT: “how much more the Father in Heaven will give the HOLY SPIRIT to those who ask Him” What do we ask in prayer? Jesus did not stop after teaching them what to pray. He continued telling them to ask ceaselessly and affirms that they will receive of what they ask. But at the end he concludes saying, after all asking what we need, the Father gives ONLY THE HOLY SPIRIT! This is the actual aim of the prayer: If the Holy Spirit is given to you the rest is automatically granted like bonus or offers like. That is why he wanted to establish father-child relationship. Remember Jesus said, ‘seek the kingdom of God first, and the rest will be yours as well’. If the child is in the presence of its Father, do you think the child needs to ask for anything? No, not at all. The father will be able to understand what the child needs and what it intends to have. Ultimately he provides what is asked and what not also. The father is able to read the mind of the child. If it goes off, the child has to ask and repeatedly to get. And very often the child will not ask what is wanted but only weeps for every need unattended. So, it is not the words that matter much, but being in the presence, is most important.
That is why the thief on the Cross said ‘Lord remember me when you enter into your kingdom’. And you know the result ‘today thou shall be with me…’
The assurance of his presence is very much felt in the Church especially during the Eucharistic adoration. His presence may be everywhere wherever you may pray. But you see, why Moses has to go to Mount Sainai to get the Commandments of God? Why the prophet Elizah has to go to mount Horeb to see God? Why Jesus has to go to Mount Tabor for his own transfiguration? And this is why everyone has to come to the Eucharistic Lord on the Altar in the Church and for all the Liturgical Celebrations in the Church. Whatever the reason it may be and whatever circumstances they may be, none should fail to understand the importance and need of being in the presence of the Eucharistic Lord in the Church. What all we need is to be as a child in the presence of the Lord holding our concentration upon Him alone. All our formal prayers should help us for the same. So one needs to empty himself or herself in the presence of the Lord, and will have everything because He is our Father and we are His children.
Hence we need to allow him to understand us, to find out what we need and He will take care of us all. When one bothers himself leaving Him (Jesus) out, He will not bother him, but if anyone bothers Him(Jesus), leaving out oneself, surely He will bother most. There in His presence one gains peace and tranquility and have reset his/her whole life.