My take on the Sermon of 28th July 2013

1. The theme of Father’s sermon was persistence in prayer
2. Lot made a choice without thinking about his uncle. He did not think hard about his choice, he did not pray over it before choosing.
3. Lot made a mistake, his sight deceived him.
4. Gen 18:19 – even the angels, they wanted to Sodomize – we should not let our world go down that path. We need to resist with our prayers & our vote.
5. What can we learn from today
6. God  had decided to destroy the people of Sodom & Gomorah. But save Lot & His house hold. So once
7. God revealed to Abraham  His plan to destroy the twin city & there comes the intercession of Abraham.
8. Abraham was persistent in his intercession – “Will you sweep away the innocent with the guilty?”
9. How often do we persist in our intercession – 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.” This what persistence in prayer does – God comes through for us when we persist in prayer
10. Christ teaches us persistency in prayer. “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.” We are friends of The Lord, lets persist. He will give us the healing we need.
11. Christ then teaches us how to pray.
12. All of us have one Father, it does not matter where we come from. It is the reason my Christ taught us to pray our Father & not my Father. Unity is critical and we should all see ourselves as from the same Father.
13. Not to us oh Lord but Your name be the Glory. In all things  we should give the glory to God.
14. Food is important, so Christ teaches us to ask for our daily bread.
15. Christ teaches us about the conditional forgiveness  – so we need to forgive others
16. There is no prayer greater than the Our Father. All aspects & types  of prayer are captured in it.
17. The parable at the end teaches us persistence of prayer.
18. If it is God’s will then may the door be opened to us. We should not put our will before God. So our knocking, asking & seeking should be subjected God’s will.
19. Prayer is not change God’s will but to help us understand the will of God in our lives. Prayer is not a spare tyre we use in time of trouble, but the steering wheel we use all the time to navigate through life to God.
20. We should subject our will to that of God. God knows our issues, & He knows what is good for us, better than we know.
21. We cannot get tired praying for any particular intention. Hold on to God till He blesses us like Jacob did.
22. Like Abraham let’s not be selfish in prayer, can we pray for our enemies. Abraham prayed for the wicked people. We need to pray for others.
23. We should resist this imposition of gay rights with prayer.
24. We should pray till something happens – it is an opportunity for Africa & Ghana to teach the West the right thing.
25. We need to be generous in prayer.
26. May Christ help us to pray for those who we perceive to be evil

28 July 2013

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time; Blessed Mary Magdalen Martinengo

FIRST READING
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 visitors walked on farther toward Sodom, the LORD remained standing before Abraham. Then Abraham drew nearer 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 forbear 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 if 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.”

RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 138:1–2, 2–3, 6–7, 7–8 (3a)

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

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 built up strength within me.

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

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

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

SECOND READING
Colossians 2:12–14

Brothers and sisters:
You were buried with him 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.

ALLELUIA
Romans 8:15bc

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

You have received a Spirit of adoption, through which we cry, Abba, Father.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GOSPEL
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?”

This post has already been read 1461 times!