17TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR C)

1st Reading             Genesis 18: 20-32

Psalm                        138:1-2, 2-3, 6-7, 7-8 (R. 3a)

R://"Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me"

2nd Reading           Colossians 2:12-14

Gospel                       Luke 11: 1-13

PRAYER MOVES GOD

Friends, Peace and Goodness! Today is the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). Today, we draw the curtain down on the month of July. Let us take a quick dive into the readings for today. 

Our first reading is from Genesis 18: 20-32, and the Gospel is from Luke 11: 1-13. What becomes very clear from these two passages is that the theme of persistency in prayer is very explicit. The technique used is the "principle of harmonization". In Ordinary Time, especially, the first reading and the Gospel have the same theme. The fuller understanding of that theme is seen in the Gospel. We also realised that the two readings are continuations from where last week's readings ended. Therefore, the technique of "lectio continua" is also at play. What then should we make of this theme?

Let's start with the first reading where we shall understand that three things, I think, make up for prayers that lead to God's action in our lives. The passage principally has to do with Abraham pleading with God on behalf of Sodom and Gomorrah. I suggest we go back a little to Genesis 18: 16 to get the whole narrative. Abraham excorts the three men he warmly received. He engages in conversation with the LORD about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Prior to this, the LORD had an "internal dialogue" as to whether to reveal his plans to Abraham. Eventually, the LORD told him His plans to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah.

The first detail we should look at is the projection of Abraham in line with being a friend of God. Although the phrase is not used, the idea is there. The indication is that the LORD had a secret thought, and he told Abraham. The Hebrew word for friend is "רֵעַ" (Rea), and one Hebrew word for Secret or Mystery is "רָז" (Raz). What is interesting is that these two words have the same root. Hebrew words with the same or similar root have closely related meanings. In fact, a genuine friend knows you past the mask. God makes known his plans to Abraham. This reveals the intimacy between God and Abraham. The language here applies to "Prayer". When you are in communion or united with God, He reveals his secrets plans or mysteries to you, not necessarily his plans for you, but also his plans for those around you. He reveals himself past the mask to you. Like Moses, you see him "panim el panim" (face to face). You get to see God's character and personality as a friend knows the secrets of his or her friend. That should inform why the letter of St. James describes Abraham as a "friend of God" (James 2:23). Jesus also says, "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you FRIENDS; for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you" (Jn. 15:15). Prayer makes you a friend who necessarily knows God's plans, his secret and mysterious plans. It is a privilege to know this.

The second detail is that the LORD tells Abraham that he had heard the OUTCRY against Sodom and Gomorrah. Which people are actually crying? These are cities or neighbours of Sodom and Gomorrah who are hurt by their actions. Sodom and Gomorrah are causing great pain to others by their very actions. These ones have cried out. The Hebrew word is "za'aq". The word is often used when a person or a nation is in distress and seeks deliverance. There is a quest to relieve one of a burden that is beyond his or her capability. We find the word used in Psalm 9:12 to express the cry of the needy. Also, in Exodus 2:23, the cry of the Israelites during slavery in Egypt is "za'aq". Therefore, the second thing that can make God act and reveal himself in a certain kind of situation is a "cry", a cry for deliverance and help. God reveals himself also in times of external oppression. When those moments arise, cry out to the Lord because they are beyond your human capability. Situations around us suppress us and make us cry out to God. These are Sodom and Gomorrah for each and everyone, ranging from sin to physical enemies.

The third detail is that after the LORD told his plans to Abraham, the Word of God says, "Abraham drew near" (Gen. 18: 23). That strikes a lot because the Hebrew word is "Nâgash", which is used by priests. The Hebrew word "נָגַשׁ" (nâgash) is used in the context of priests drawing near to God on behalf of others, often in intercession or mediation. In this sense, "nâgash" underscores the priest's role in approaching God with sacrifices, prayers, or offerings, serving as a mediator between God and the people. This idea is particularly relevant in the Old Testament, where priests would offer sacrifices and intercede on behalf of the people, drawing near to God to make atonement or seek His favour.

What Abraham is doing is to intercede before the LORD like a priest will do. We need to realise that others can stand in for us before God when we do not have the strength to do so. The intercession of others makes God act and reveal himself. What fascinates is that Abraham intercedes relentlessly. He asks if 10 just men were found in the city, whether the city will be spared. In Jewish circles, 10 people are needed to form a synagogue, thus a congregation. Literally, God says if I find one community of faith — authentic believers, people whose actions do not cause great pain to others — he will spare the whole city. While others stand in for us to make God reveal himself, can we also let our faith save others? Can we form part of the authentic faith community God desires to see?

The Gospel continues the theme of prayer. Luke opens the chapter with Jesus engaged in an activity — Prayer. After Luke's version of the Lord's prayer, there is a kind of stress on the persistency of prayer with two analogies involving "Bread". Why? Remember that Jesus and his disciples are headed for Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. It is possible that this forward-looking view would have made Jesus use the examples including "bread".  By these two examples, he somewhat prepares the mind of the disciples about what they are about to celebrate. The Passover will not only be a commemorative celebration but a prayer moment to ask from God with persistency. 

Since the first reading also focuses on a city, I suggest we look at the Lord's prayer in the light of a city in the Old Testament. The city is Babel.

In Genesis 11: 1-9, the inhabitants of Babel desired to build a city, a tower, and make a NAME for themselves. The amazing thing is that the founder of the city of Babel is Nimrod. In fact, Nimrod means "rebel". This is someone who rebels against God. His whole agenda is to set up a city ('ir), a Kingdom that looks like the Kingdom of God. Nimrod's Kingdom will rebel against God's Kingdom. One interesting thing is that Nimrod is a descendant of Cush. Cush is a Son of Ham, one of Noah's sons. The other sons of Ham are Mizraim, Put, and Canaan. The territory of Canaan and his descendants went as far as Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 10). What do we know about Ham? Ham was the one who saw Noah's nakedness and never acted. Noah cursed Ham's descendant, Canaan. Now, the descendants of Canaan are in Sodom and Gomorrah. Together with Nimrod, they should be rebels. 

The inhabitants of Babel wanted to make a NAME for themselves. They want to project themselves. In the Kingdom of Nimrod and further in the lives of the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah, fame and personal ambition over and above that of God as to rebel against him is explicit. This will negatively affect those around them. Luke's prayer first says that, "Father, may your NAME be held holy". Against the quest of the inhabitants of Babel — the rebels — those who belong to the Lord seek to project God's NAME, God's Glory, over and above every fame. Additionally, Luke says, "Your KINGDOM come". Against the rebellious Kingdom of Babel and Nimrod, God's Kingdom should be firmly established. In short, the prayer Jesus teaches the disciples is a prayer to God to help them not to be like Sodom and Gomorrah or the Nimrod's rebellious city of Babel. Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed, and the inhabitants of Babel were dispersed. Thus, disunity occurred. We should also not seek to be like those cities. Otherwise, we risk our own destruction. 

The final detail I want us to look at from the Lord's prayer in Luke's version is "give us each day our DAILY BREAD" (Lk. 11:3). The Greek word translated as "DAILY" is "ἐπιούσιος" (épioúsios). What do we make of this word? This is the only time is appears in the New Testament. The word has two other Greek words —"epi", which means "above", and "ousios" which means "substance". "Epiousios" means the substance from above. That has to do with Bread from Heaven. This is Manna, which goes back to Exodus 16. Within the Christian circle, this is the Eucharist. The celebration of the Eucharist is the highest prayer of the Church. 

Pax et Bonum