17th sunday in ordinary time
july 25, 2010
So this guy drives over to a sporting goods store, but he doesn't have much time, so, as he comes close, he offers this prayer: “O God, if you clear a parking space for me, I'll contribute $100 to my parish church.” He turns the corner and sees right in front of the store an open space. He lifts his head to God and says, “Never mind. I just found one.”
We often bargain with God. “Let my kids be healthy, and I'll quit smoking.” “Find me a job, and I'll start being more charitable.” “Make the neighbors quieter, and I'll spend more time in prayer.” Whatever. But when you think of it, we have no leverage with God. God doesn't need anything we have to offer. God gave it all to us in the first place.
This does not stop Abraham in today's first reading. Abraham has heard that God may want to wipe out the city of Sodom. Abraham has family there, and he wants to save them. As God's two messengers go into the city to investigate, Abraham blocks God's path and bargains. He appeals both to God's justice and mercy. He mainly argues that some innocent people live in Sodom. If the whole city is destroyed, God will be responsible for their deaths. Punishing the guilty is just, but sparing the innocent is merciful. You know this story well: Abraham gets God to agree that 50 innocent people could spare the whole city, and then he whittles the number down to 10. God agrees, and that's where today's reading ends, but the story goes on. Even though God agreed to the deal, Abraham could not find 10 innocent people. He found 4: his nephew Lot, whom he had already rescued from a kidnapping, Lot's wife, and their two daughters. God then exercised justice and mercy. Sodom is destroyed, but not before an angel takes Lot's family by the hand and leads them out to safety. You remember the tragic turn of events in this part of the story, too: Lot's wife disobeyed orders and looked back on the city. She was transformed into a pillar of salt. So out of the whole city, only 3 innocent people make it to safety.
Abraham gives us a good model for prayer. He wants something, but he asks for what he believes God wants too – he asks God to act with the mercy that is God's nature. This is still an effective way to pray. We ask God to act not just in a way that will make our lives better, but in a way that is consistent with God's good character.
This can also help us when – like Abraham – we don't get precisely what we want. We can trust what we are getting is consistent with God's good nature, no matter how mysterious that may be. If we don't get that parking space when we pray, it may be that God has a broader purpose in mind – someone else may need it more, or we may need the exercise. Often our request is more serious – such as sparing the life of a good person. But sometimes even that loss can make us better than we were before, teaching us how precious life is, and how important it is to make every day count.
God surely expects us to pray for the things we want, but when we pray also for what God wants, “thy will be done,” it will please God and bring us deep peace.
Past Homilies
July 25, 2010 - 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 18, 2010 - 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time
June 20, 2010 - 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time
June 13, 2010 - 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time
May 30, 2010 - Most Holy Trinity
May 23, 2010 - Pentecost
May 16, 2010 - Ascension of the Lord
May 9, 2010 - Sixth Sunday of Easter
May 2, 2010 - Fifth Sunday of Easter
April 25, 2010 - Fourth Sunday of Easter
April 18, 2010 - Third Sunday of Easter
April 11, 2010 - Second Sunday of Easter
March 28, 2010 - Palm Sunday
March 14, 2010 - Fourth Sunday of Lent
March 7, 2010 - Third Sunday of Lent
February 28, 2010 - Second Sunday of Lent
February 21, 2010 - First Sunday of Lent
February 14, 2010, Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
February 7, 2010, Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
January 31, 2010, Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
January 24, 2010, Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
January 3, 2010, Epiphany of the Lord
January 1, 2010, Mary, The Mother of God
December 27, 2009, Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph
December 25, 2009, Nativity of the Lord
December 20, 2009, 4th Sunday of Advent
December 13, 2009, 3rd Sunday of Advent
December 8, 2009, Immaculate Conception
December 6, 2009, 2nd Sunday of Advent
November 29, 2009, 1st Sunday of Advent
November 22, 2009, Our Lord Jesus Christ The King
November 15, 2009, 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
November 8, 2009, 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
November 1, 2009, All Saints
October 25, 2009, 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 18, 2009, 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 4, 2009, 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time
September 27, 2009, 26th Sunday in Ordinary time
September 20, 2009, 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time
September 19, Wedding of Jeremy Leer and Amanda Zieber
September 13, 2009, 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time
September 6, 2009, 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 2, 2009, 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 26, 2009, 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 19, 2009, 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 5, 2009, 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time
June 28, 2009, 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time
June 21, 2009, 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time
June 14, 2009, Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
May 31, 2009, Pentecost
May 24, 2009, Ascension of The Lord
May 17, 2009, Sixth Sunday of Easter
May 10, 2009, Fifth Sunday of Easter
May 3, 2009, Fourth Sunday of Easter
April 26, 2009, Third Sunday of Easter
April 19, 2009, Second Sunday of Easter
April 12, 2009, Easter
April 10, 2009, Good Friday
April 9, 2009, Holy Thursday
April 5, 2009, Palm Sunday
March 29, 2009, Fifth Sunday of Lent
March 22, 2009, Fourth Sunday of Lent
March 15, 2009, Third Sunday of Lent
March 8, 2009, Second Sunday of Lent
March 1, 2009, First Sunday of Lent
February 22, 2009, Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
February 15, 2009, Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
February 8, 2009, Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
February 1, 2009, Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
January 25, 2009, Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
January 1, 2009, Mary, The Mother of God
December 28, 2008, Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph
December 25, 2008, Nativity of the Lord
December 21, 2008, 4th Sunday of Advent
December 14, 2008, 3rd Sunday of Advent
December 7, 2008, 2nd Sunday of Advent
November 30, 2008, 1st Sunday of Advent
November 23, 2008, Our Lord Jesus Christ The King
November 16, 2008, 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
November 15, 2008, Wedding of Ryan Larson and Kristie Bray November 2, 2008, All Souls Day
October 26, 2008, 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 19, 2008, 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 12, 2008, 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 5, 2008, 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time
September 28, 2008, 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time
September 21, 2008, 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 31, 2008, 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 24, 2008, 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 17, 2008, 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 27, 2008, 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 20, 2008, 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 19, 2008, Wedding of Brian Bickford and Adrienne Long
July 13, 2008, 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 6, 2008, 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time
June 29, 2008, Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Apostles
June 22, 2008, 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time
June 15, 2008, 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time
June 8, 2008, 10th Sunday in Ordinary Time
June 1, 2008, 9th Sunday in Ordinary Time
May 27, 2008, Bishop Boland - Dedication of New Altar
May 4, 2008, Ascension Sunday
April 27, 2008, 6th Sunday of Easter
April 20, 2008, 5th Sunday of Easter
April 13, 2008, 4th Sunday of Easter
April 6, 2008, 3rd Sunday of Easter
March 30, 2008, 2nd Sunday of Easter
March 23, 2008, Easter
March 21, 2008, Good Friday
March 20, 2008, Holy Thursday
March 16, 2008, Palm Sunday
March 9, 2008, 5th Sunday of Lent
March 2, 2008, 4th Sunday of Lent
February 24, 2008, 3rd Sunday of Lent
February 17, 2008, 2nd Sunday of Lent
February 10, 2008, 1st Sunday of Lent
February 3, 2008, 4th Sunday of Ordinary Time
January 27, 2008, 3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time
December 30, 2007, Holy Family
December 24, 2007, Christmas
December 23, 2007, 4th Sunday of Advent
December 16, 2007, 3rd Sunday of Advent
December 9, 2007, 2nd Sunday of Advent
December 2, 2007, 1st Sunday of Advent
November 25, 2007, 34th Sunday of Ordinary Time
November 18, 2007, 33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time
November 11, 2007, 32nd Sunday of Ordinary Time
November 4, 2007, 31st Sunday of Ordinary Time
October 28, 2007, 30th Sunday of Ordinary Time
October 21, 2007, 29th Sunday of Ordinary Time
October 14, 2007, 28th Sunday of Ordinary Time
October 7, 2007, 27th Sunday of Ordinary Time
September 23, 2007, 25th Sunday of Ordinary Time
September 9, 2007, 23rd Sunday of Ordinary Time
September 2, 2007, 22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time
August 26, 2007, 21st Sunday of Ordinary Time
August 26, 2007 - Fr. Aloysius' Homily
August 19, 2007, 20th Sunday of Ordinary Time August 19, 2007 - Fr. Aloysius' Homily
August 12, 2007 - Fr. Aloysius' Homily
August 5, 2007 - Fr. Aloysius' Homily July 29, 2007 - Fr. Aloysius' Homily
July
22, 2007, 16th Sunday of Ordinary Time
July
15, 2007, 15th Sunday of Ordinary Time
July
8, 2007, 14th Sunday of Ordinary Time
July
1, 2007, 13th Sunday of Ordinary Time
June
24, 2007, Birth of John the Baptist
June
17, 2007, 12th Sunday of Ordinary Time
June
10, 2007, The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
June
3, 2007, Most Holy Trinity
May
27, 2007, Pentecost
May
20, 2007, Ascension of the Lord
May 13, 2007, 6th Sunday of Easter
May 6, 2007, 5th Sunday of Easter
April 29, 2007, 4th Sunday of Easter
April 22, 2007, 3rd Sunday of Easter
April 15, 2007, 2nd Sunday of Easter
April 8, 2007, Easter Sunday
April 6, 2007, Good Friday
April 5, 2007, Holy Thursday
April 1, 2007, Palm Sunday
March 25, 2007, 5th Sunday of Lent
March 18, 2007, 4th Sunday of Lent
March 4, 2007, 2nd Sunday of Lent
February 25, 2007, 1st Sunday of Lent
February 18, 2007, 7th Sunday of Ordinary Time
February
11, 2007, 6th Sunday Ordinary Time
February
4, 2007, 5th Sunday Ordinary Time
January 28, 2007, 4th Sunday Ordinary
Time - view
December 31, 2006, Holy Family -
view
December 25, 2006, Christmas - view
December 24, 2006, 4th Sunday of
Advent - view
December 17, 2006, 3rd Sunday of
Advent - view
December 10, 2006 2nd Sunday of
Advent - view
December 3, 2006, 1st Sunday of
Advent - view
funerals
February 18, 2010 - Carol Kemper
February 12, 2010 - Martha Cook
October 25, 2009 - Isabella Johnson
September 26, 2009 - Alvin Wood
April 21, 2009 - Bill Roe
March 14, 2009 - Owen Curtis
November, 2008 - Barb Zanin Memorial
July 1, 2008 - Wilma Carroll
June 26, 2008 - Tate Thogmartin
June 14, 2008 - Les Foster
May 30, 2008 - Karen Kemper
May 23, 2008 - Virginia O'Connor
May 22, 2008 - Tom Corley
March 11, 2008 - Ellen Wicht
January 24, 2008 - Fances Hartzell
November 26, 2007 - Edviga Walser
November 3, 2007 - Joe Rooney
August 29, 2007 - Robert Zubeck
March 19, 2007 - Mary Rooney
October 7, 2006 - Carole Soperla
- view
July 8, 2006 Jody Stewart - view
May 25, 2006 Marguerite Rooney -
view
April 1, 2006 Henry McKenzie Funeral
-
view
December 20, 2005 Cory Bates Funeral
- view
October 11, 2005 Richard Kirkendoll
Funeral - view
September 21, 2005 Esther Hanrahan
Funeral - view
September 6, 2005 Bob Bestgen Funeral
- view
August 6, 2005 Dale Harter Funeral
- view
June 29, 2005 Dodie Garside Funeral
- view
January 4, 2005 Don Rooney Funeral
- view
December 18, 2004 Bill Kemper Funeral
-
view
September 29, 2004 Richard "Doc"
Schmidt Funeral - view
May 18, 2004 Irene Rooney Funeral
- view
April 5, 2004 Luke Angle Funeral
- View
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