Homily for Wednesday of the Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A - 10/11/2023)

In yesterday’s Gospel reading, we heard how Mary “sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak” while Martha was “burdened with much serving,” and Jesus said to Martha that “Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her” (Luke 10:39-40, 42). Christ knew that the mission given to him by his Father in heaven was urgent and he only had a short period of time to complete that mission. So when he spoke, taught, and preached, he wanted his disciples and the people to listen attentively to his words. Now, you can imagine how elated our Lord must have been when one of his disciples said to him: “Lord, teach us to pray. . .”, as we just heard in today's Gospel passage (Luke 11:1). Throughout the Gospels, we read about instances where the Son went off to “a certain place” to pray and spent some alone time with his Father. In teaching his disciples (and us) the “Our Father”, Christ not only teaches us a powerful prayer but he also invites us into a deeper intimacy with our Father through prayer.

Growing up, I asked my dad how to put bait on a fishing hook, helped him in the garage when he worked on our family cars - like changing a flat tire, and learned how to operate a lawn mower and mow the yard. I listened to my dad with childlike wonderment and enthusiasm because I looked up to my dad. I trusted him. I loved him. I still do. Understandably, we all have different experiences with our own fathers and, oftentimes, we project those feelings and experiences - good ones and, unfortunately, not so good ones - on our Father in heaven. In reflecting on the “Our Father” prayer, Pope Francis said that “[our] God needs nothing: in prayer, he only asks that we keep a channel of communication open with him in order to always recognize that we are his most beloved children. He loves us very much” (January 2, 2019). Therefore, when we pray, it is important that we approach prayer with humility, childlike dependency, and trust in God’s love and goodness.

In teaching us the “Our Father” prayer, Jesus wants us to know that we have a Father in heaven who loves us, forgives us, and will never abandon or forsake us because we are his beloved sons and daughters. The Holy Father said: “Jesus is crushed by the evil of the world. However, he trustingly surrenders himself to the ocean of love of the Father’s will. . . Out of love, God can lead us to walk along difficult paths and to experience wounds and painful thorns, but he will never forsake us. He will always be with us, beside us, within us. For a believer this is more than a hope, it is a certainty: God is with me” (March 20, 2019). Therefore, let us say to Jesus, “Lord, teach me to pray. . .” and then, let us listen attentively to him.