HOMILIES

Dear Audience,
For better understanding of the spiritual message behind this homily I kindly remind you to first read and contemplate the biblical texts before reading or listening to my preaching - a human reflection on the Word of God!

Seventeenth Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year C)

Jul 27, 2025

560

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First Reading

A reading from the Book of Genesis (18:20-32)

In those days, the Lord said: "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great, and their sin so grave, that I must go down and see whether or not their actions fully correspond to the cry against them that comes to me. I mean to find out."

While Abraham's visitor's walked on farther toward Sodom, the Lord remained standing before Abraham. Then Abraham drew nearer to him and said: "Will you sweep away the innocent with the guilty? Suppose there were fifty innocent people in the city; would you wipe out the place, rather than spare it for the sake of the fifty innocent people within it? Far be it from you to do such a thing, to make the innocent die with the guilty, so that the innocent and the guilty would be treated alike! Should not the judge of all the world act with justice?" The Lord replied, "If I find fifty innocent people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake."

Abraham spoke up again: "See how I am presuming to speak to my Lord, though I am but dust and ashes! What if there are five less than fifty innocent people? Will you destroy the whole city because of those five?" He answered, "I will not destroy it, if I find forty-five there." But Abraham persisted, saying, "What if only forty are found there?" He replied, "I will forebear doing it for the sake of the forty." Then Abraham said, "Let not my Lord grow, impatient if I go on. What if only thirty are found there?" He replied, "I will forbear doing it if I can find but thirty there." Still Abraham went on, "Since I have thus dared to speak to my Lord, what is there are no more than twenty?" The Lord answered, "I will not destroy it, for the sake of the twenty." But he still persisted: "Please, let not my Lord grow angry if I speak up this last time. What if there are at least ten there?" He replied, "For the sake of those ten, I will not destroy it."

(P) The word of the Lord.
(R) Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalms of David (138:1-2, 2-3, 6-7, 7-8)

(R) Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.

I will give thanks to you, O Lord, with all my heart, for you have heard the words of my mouth; in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise; I will worship at your holy temple and give thanks to your name. (R)

Because of your kindness and your truth; for you have made great above all things your name and your promise. When I called you answered me; you build up strength within me. (R)

The Lord is exalted, yet the lowly he sees, and the proud he knows from afar. Though I walk amid distress, you preserve me; against the anger of my enemies you raise your hand. (R)

Your right hand saves me. The Lord will complete what he has done for me; your kindness, O Lord, endures forever; forsake not the work of your hands. (R)

Second Reading

A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Colossians (2:12-14)

Brothers and sisters: You were buried with Christ in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. And even when you were dead in transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he brought you to life along with him, having forgiven us all our transgressions; obliterating the bond against us, with its legal claims, which was opposed to us, he also removed it from our midst, nailing it to the cross.

(P) The word of the Lord.
(R) Thanks be to God.

Gospel

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (11:1-13)

Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples." He said to them, "When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test."

And he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, "Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him," and he says in reply from within, "Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything," I tell you, if he does not get up to give the visitor the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence."

"And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?"

(P) The Gospel of the Lord.
(R) Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Homily

During the time of Jesus, prayer was a central and regular part of Jewish life. Jewish people typically prayed three times a day, in addition to rituals. They often prayed by chanting or reciting a series of biblical verses, particularly from the Torah and the Book of Psalms and they did so both in private and in public settings, especially in the Temple and synagogues. The disciples, as observant Jews, would have had significant knowledge and experience with prayer. Yet, they asked Jesus to teach them how to pray because they probably realized that Jesus' prayer was distinct from the prayer of other Jews. They observed that Jesus' prayer life was characterized by intimate, personal conversations with God, not mere ritualistic practices.

Moreover, they noticed Jesus frequently going off alone to pray, particularly praying before or during several decisive moments or important events in his life, and witnessed the power and impact of his prayers in his ministry.

While the Gospels do not explicitly state that prayer was the sole source of Jesus' life and ministry, they depict Jesus, even though he was the Son of God and possessed divine power, frequently turning to prayer for strength, guidance, and power, demonstrating His dependence on God the Father. So, the disciples' desire to learn from Jesus indicates that they too wanted to foster a personal and heartfelt spiritual connection and relationship with God through prayer, beyond what they had previously experienced. In addition, their request for Jesus to teach them to pray, as John the Baptist taught his disciples, suggests that John's teachings on prayer were known and respected.

While the Bible doesn't explicitly mention that John taught his disciples any specific prayer, it implies that John did provide some guidance or instruction on prayer which had impressed his followers.

In response to the disciples' request, Jesus taught them a simple, yet profound, prayer that is now commonly known as the Lord's Prayer. Matthew (6:9-13) and Luke (11:1-6) record the prayer in their gospels, but with some differences. Luke's version is shorter, omitting phrases like, "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven", and "deliver us from evil," and this is what we read as a part of today's Gospel, Luke (11:1-13).

First, Jesus instructed them to address God as Father, "Abba" in Hebrew. By calling God "Father", the believers in Christ or the disciples of Christ declare three things. (1) They acknowledge that their relationship with God is one of intimacy, belonging, dependence, and love. (2) They recognize that God is the ultimate source, sustainer, and protector of life. (3) They accept that they have been adopted into God's family, described as a spiritual birth or being "born again," and they are given the privilege of approaching God the Father with childlike trust and openness.

Secondly, Jesus instructed them to honour God's name because it is holy, sacred, and worthy of praise. By honouring God, they recognize and revere God's divine nature, His love, and authority.

Thirdly, Jesus told them to pray, "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done." By this prayer, they acknowledge the limitations and imperfections both in the world and in their personal lives and express their desire for God's perfect rule and reign to be established fully. They also commit to worship, obedience, and living in accordance with God's will.

Fourthly, Jesus taught them to pray, "Give us each day our daily bread." Here, "Bread" means more than just food. It refers to all necessities for life, both physical and spiritual. Jesus said, "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God", Matthew (4:4). Jesus also described himself, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again", John (6:35). So, by praying for daily bread, the believers express their dependence on God for both physical and spiritual sustenance and provision, and acknowledge that all they have come from God rather than their own power.

Fifthly, Jesus instructed them to pray, "forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us." By this prayer, the believers acknowledge their own need for forgiveness and at the same time they recognize that God's forgiveness is contingent upon their own willingness to forgive those who have wronged them.

Lastly, Jesus told them to pray, "lead us not into temptation." In this prayer, the believers express a desire for divine protection against falling into sin and succumbing to evil. In addition, they also acknowledge their vulnerability to temptation and their reliance on God's strength and guidance to resist it.

After teaching the Prayer, Jesus provided further instruction on prayer, emphasizing the importance of persistence and trust in God's goodness when praying. First, Jesus illustrated the need for persistence in prayer with a story of a man who keeps knocking on his friend's door at midnight to borrow bread for a visitor. Initially, the friend refuses, claiming it's too late and his family is asleep. However, Jesus says that the friend eventually gets up and gives him the bread, not because of his friendship, but because of the man's persistence. Thus, Jesus encouraged his followers to always pray and never give up, trusting that God, unlike the reluctant friend, will respond to their needs, especially since He is their loving Father.

Jesus then used an analogy of earthly parents to illustrate God's goodness and generosity. Specifically, he pointed out that no earthly parent would give his child something harmful like a snake or a scorpion when he asks for food like fish or an egg. He further explained that if imperfect human parents know how to give good things to their children, then God, our perfect and loving heavenly Father, will surely give good gifts, especially the Holy Spirit, to those who ask him. The Holy Spirit is the ultimate gift and the key to understanding and living out God's will, empowering them to pray effectively, to experience God's power and guidance in their lives, and to be witnesses for Christ.

What is the message for us?

Most of us generally know the basics of prayer and how to approach it. We learn from a young age and are familiar with common prayers like the Sign of the Cross, the Our Father, the Hail Mary, the Glory Be to the Father etc., and practices like attending Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation, reciting the Rosary, receiving the sacraments, etc. So, in a sense, we don't need to be taught to pray at this stage of our faith journey. However, sometimes Satan wants us to think that our prayers are powerless, useless, and ineffective so that we'll just give up. But as Jesus teaches us in today's Gospel, we can approach God with persistent faith, rather than giving up when facing difficulties, or when the answer from God seems long delayed and when we suppose that our prayers have not been heard.
Jesus' prayer life demonstrates its vital importance for all of us. Prayer can help us foster a deeper connection and relationship with God. It can help us express our thoughts, feelings, and gratitude, seek guidance, and find strength, peace, and a sense of purpose during difficult times. Hence, we must make praying a priority in our lives by setting aside time to be alone with the Lord, alongside communal worship, like the Mass.
We can pray in many ways based on our personal preferences, cultural backgrounds and spiritual traditions, including standing, kneeling, and sitting, and with our eyes either open or closed. We can pray alone, pouring out our hearts and sharing everything privately with God. We can pray with fellow believers. We can pray aloud. We can pray in silence. We can pray by singing hymns and reading scripture.
Prayer is more than just presenting our requests and needs to God. It involves building a relationship with God, seeking His will, and aligning our life with His purposes. So, for that purpose, we can use all types of prayer such as prayer of adoration and worship, prayer of praise and thanksgiving, prayer of request and supplication, and prayer of intercession. Of course, the Our Father prayer is the best of all the prayers because it is the Lord's Prayer, taught by Jesus Christ himself, and it is perfect and unselfish. When praying the Our Father Prayer, remember that we are praying as Jesus did. So, we should pray with humility, recognizing God's sovereignty and our dependence on Him. We should also acknowledge His holiness, His kingdom, and His will, seeking His provision, forgiveness, and guidance, while ultimately surrendering to His authority and plan.
Prayer is not a passive activity but an active one. So, we should always actively participate in all the spiritual activities with attentiveness and faith, such as singing, scripture reading, and listening to homilies.
God is better than a reluctant friend who finally opens the door just to stop the knocking. He is better than the best earthly father who knows how to care for his child. He may not always give us what we ask for, but certainly will give us what is good and life giving for us, especially He will give us the Holy Spirit so that we will be able to understand God's purpose of not granting us some of our prayers and, at the same time, the courage to follow His plan.

Therefore, along with other needs, let us pray for the Holy Spirit - the source of guidance, strength, wisdom, comfort, and spiritual growth.

(P) Amen.

God Bless You!

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