July 28 // 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading I: Genesis 18:20-32a
Responsorial Psalm 138:1-2, 2-3, 6-7, 7-8
Reading II: Colossians 2:12-14
Gospel: Luke 11:1-13

We say the Lord’s prayer every day. Do we say it with attitude? Think about it. Some of it sounds kind of pushy. I try to be polite when I speak to anyone and I sure am polite to God. I was taught/conditioned to not make demands on anyone much less our God except in the prayer Jesus taught us!! Even when our son was in a coma, the only demands I made of God was to comfort and strengthen our family so we would be all we could possibly be for one another. I never said, “You must heal him; I insist.” I prayed, “Please heal him; Thy will be done.” Knowing his wife and children need God as much as Steve did and does, I do scream at God, “Help Steve, Melissa, Austin, Laura, Sarah and Megan.”

Jesus is joined by other biblical characters teaching prayer as commanding God, hammering away at God, haranguing God. And why not? After all, God can take it.
Check Genesis 18 and find Abraham bargaining with God and treating God like some people haggle with sellers at a public market. Check Exodus 32 and find Moses making God repent!

Let’s beef up our demands for God’s help for all sorts of people in all kinds of horrific crisis.

Deni Mack, D. Min
Pastoral Minister