30th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sir 35: 12-14; 2 Tim 4: 6-8, 16-18: Luke 18: 9-14
Dc. Larry Brockman
Recently, someone sent me one of those internet jokes about prayer. It seems a Grizzly bear was chasing a man, and got very close to him. The Man was an atheist, but as the bear got closer and closer, the man called out “God, help me”. All of a sudden, time froze, a light shown down from the heavens. And then a voice from the heavens said: “After denying that I exist all these years and teaching others the same, all of a sudden you call out my name and ask me for my help.” So, do you believe in me now?” The atheist looked directly into the light and said: “It would be hypocritical of me to suddenly ask you to treat me as a Christian now. But perhaps you could make the bear a Christian?” “Very well,” said the voice. The light went out; the bear dropped his right arm, brought both paws together, bowed his head and spoke: “Lord, bless this food, which I am about to receive. Amen”
All kidding aside, the atheist in our story still has a problem, doesn’t he? It was very subtle, but he was still arrogant. There was no humility in him; just a sense of personal pride and control which he held on to even when he was in dire straits, and even when God hit him over the head with a lightning bolt and gave him the chance of a lifetime.
Few of us are blessed with such a direct message from God. But all of us are faced with the same dilemma. We find ourselves in a fix and pray to God for help and wonder why our prayer is not answered the way we want it to be answered. But the question really is this: what is the attitude in our hearts when we pray? Do we really have Faith in the God we are praying to? Are we willing to accept what He has to say to us? And are we humble, like the tax collector in the Gospel story, understanding that we owe everything we have to God, yes, we owe absolutely everything to God and God alone. Or are we like the Pharisee, the self-made man who has been successful with God’s talents. He even tries, and succeeds, at following all the rules, too and does all the “right” things.
Speaking for myself, I think it is extremely tough to be truly humble in the way the Lord is asking especially, the better off we are in this world. Because we come to believe that we have somehow earned our comfort and sense of control with hard work and success. But the thing is, we are never ever done being stewards of the Lord’s gifts. You see, most of the downtrodden have a different view when they pray. They know who they are, just an average sinner who stands before God with all his limitations and faults. They aren’t worried about maintaining their own fortunes; and they aren’t deceiving themselves by thinking they are in control. They know better- God is in control. And so, as Sirach so accurately says: “The one who serves God willingly is heard”, and “The prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds”. Because the lowly are open to God’s will, justice, mercy, and providence on God’s terms whereas those who are blessed in this world think they are under control, and so, they have an agenda.
In today’s times, this might be the Pharisee’s prayer by today’s folks: “Lord, I go to Mass each week, always put an envelope in the basket; I don’t cheat the Government on my taxes, I worked all my life for a living; I saw to it my kids were taught about God; and I even changed my grandchildren’s diapers. I’m not like that lady over there on the EBT stamps, or all those people who never go to Church at all. But now, Lord, I am suffering and I need your help. And so please, cure me of the back pain or cancer or loneliness, or whatever else it is that ails me so I can enjoy life now after having obeyed your commands all these years”. The problem is that such a person is fixed on themselves, and not God in such a prayer.
You know, God always answers our prayers. But we may not always hear His answer if we are preoccupied with the answer we want rather than the answer He has in mind for us. God is always teaching us new things; it is never too late to learn from Him. And so, learn to let go a little by putting aside your expectations and wants. Rather, listen, feel, and sense God’s answer to you. It will be yes, no, or not now. But always know, that whatever it is, as our Psalm says: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted, and those who are crushed in spirit He saves. The Lord redeems the Lives of his servants; no one incurs guilt who takes refuge in Him.”
