THE DAILY GOSPEL

July 28, 2013

Sunday 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Psalter: Week 1 Ps 138:1-2, 2-3, 6-7, 7-8 Lord on the day I called for help, you an

swered me. 1st Reading: Gen 18:20-32

Then Yahweh said, “How great is the cry for justice against Sodom and Gomorrah! And how grievous is their sin! I am going down to see if they have done all that they are charged with in the outcry that has reached me. If it is not so, I will know.”

The men with him turned away and went towards Sodom, but Yahweh remained standing before Abraham. Abraham went forward and said, “Will you really let the just perish with the wicked? Perhaps there are 50 good people in the town. Are you really going to let them perish? Would you not spare the place for the sake of these 50 righteous people? It would not be at all like you to do such a thing and you can’t let the good perish with the wicked, nor treat the good and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the judge of all the earth be just?” Yahweh said, “If I find fifty good people in Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”

Abraham spoke up again, “I know that I am very bold to speak like this to my Lord, I who am only dust and ashes! But perhaps the number of the good is five less than 50. Will you destroy the town because of five?” Yahweh replied, “I will not destroy the town if I find 45 good people there.” Again Abraham said to him, “Perhaps there will be only forty.” He answered, “For the sake of 40 I will not do it.” Abraham went on, saying, “May my Lord not be angry, but let me speak. Maybe only 30 good people will be found in the town.” Yahweh answered, “I will not destroy it if I find 30 there.” Abraham said, “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to my Lord, what if only 20 can be found?” He said, “For the sake of 20 I will not destroy the place.”

But Abraham insisted, “May my Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only 10 can be found?” And Yahweh answered, “For the sake of 10 good people, I will not destroy Sodom.” 2nd Reading: Col 2:12-14

I refer to baptism. On receiving it you were buried with Christ; and you also rose with him for having believed in the power of God who raised him from the dead.

You were dead. You were in sin and uncircumcised at the same time. But God gave you life with Christ. He forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of our debts, those regulations which accused us. He did away with all that and nailed it to the cross. Gospel: Lk 11:1-13

One day 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.” And Jesus said to them, “When you pray, say this: Father, hallowed be your name, may your kingdom come, give us each day the kind of bread we need,

and forgive us our sins, for we also forgive all who do us wrong, and do not bring us to the test.” Jesus said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend and goes to his house in the middle of the night and says: ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine who is traveling has just arrived and I have nothing to offer him.’ Maybe your friend will answer from inside: ‘ Don’t bother me now; the door is locked and my children and I are in bed, so I can’t get up and give you anything.’ But I tell you, even though he will not get up and attend to you because you are a friend, yet he will get up because you are a bother to him, and he will give you all you need.

And so I say to you, ‘Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you. For the one who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and to him who knocks the door will be opened.

If your child asks for a fish, will you give a snake instead? And if your child asks for an egg, will you give a scorpion? Even you evil people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more then will the Father in heaven give holy spirit to those who ask him!” Reflection:

Read: Abraham stands before YHWH and pleads for Sodom and Gomorrah on behalf of the good people there. God promises to spare the towns if there are at least 10 good souls. Paul reminds us how God has shown mercy by forgiving all our sins through Christ. Teaching disciples how to pray, Jesus reminds them that persistent prayer and intercession will receive its reward, for God is ever willing to give what is good for His people.

Reflect: Abraham takes the freedom and the courage to speak up on behalf of others, and God listens to him. If God is only too willing to listen to us when we pray on behalf of others, how frequently do I intercede for the needs of others? What is the content of my prayer? Does my prayer give glory and praise to God? Do I rest content with whatever answers God gives me because God always grants what is best for me?

Pray: Pray the Lord’s Prayer, slowly and reflectively.

Listen: Lean on Jesus and let him teach you how to pray.

Act: Make a list of people who need your intercessory prayers and pray for them this week.

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