Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C 24th July 2022
Lectionary readings: Genesis 18 v20-32; Psalm 138; Colossians 2 v6-15; Luke 11 v1-13.
Gifts to help us with Prayer, Intercession and Petition.
In today’s gospel reading, Luke groups together some of Jesus’ teaching on the subject of prayer.
In response to the disciples request for guidance on how to pray, Jesus gifts to them the ‘Lord’s Prayer’ and then goes on to suggest that we need to be persistent in prayer, not ashamed to keep on asking. Jesus says, “So I tell you to ask and you will receive, search and you will find, knock and the door will be opened for you.” (Luke 11 v9).
Jesus continues by asking, “Which one of you fathers would give your hungry child a snake if the child asked for a fish? Which one of you would give your child a scorpion if the child asked for an egg? As bad as you are, you still know how to give good gifts to your children. But your heavenly Father is even more ready to give the Holy Spirit to anyone who asks.” (Luke 11 v11-13).
Luke seems to be implying that if we ask God for his gift of the Holy Spirit, prayer will become a whole lot easier, not just in finding the right words to say but also in understanding God’s response.
If that is so, then we need to take heed of the Spirit inspired words of Marjorie Dobson on the subject of prayer, intercession and petition. (Singing the Faith No 524).
Listening God, you hear us when we cannot speak,
when despair and turmoil leave us faint and weak.
In love you call us back to you again
and your grace reminds us how you feel our pain.
Searching God, you find us when we go astray,
as self-centred living takes us from your way.
In love you seek us, show us what we’ve lost,
and your tears remind us what forgiveness cost.
Suffering God, you lift us from our deepest grief,
when emotion blinds us to our own belief.
In love you touch us with your nail-torn hand
and your wounds remind us why you understand.
Risen God, you show us love too strong for death,
evil deeds defeated by your living breath.
In love teach us never to despair,
your new life reminds us, hope is always there.
King David is quoted in today’s Psalm as praying, “You, Lord will always treat me with kindness. Your love never fails. You have made us what we are. Don’t give up on us now!” (Psalm 138 v8)
Bible quotations are taken from the Contemporary English Version