30th Sunday in Ordinary Time C - Oct 24, 2004

Saturday October 23, 2004

Prayer is Truth

“I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God!”

In last week’s gospel, Luke presented for our consideration, the pleas of the persistent widow before the corrupt judge. The judge gave in to her entreaties not because he was a man of virtue or valor but because he was afraid that she would do him harm. “I will vindicate this widow. Otherwise, she may give me a black eye” is the literal translation of the passage that described his “intrepid” response. Of course, Luke was careful to point out that God is not like the unjust judge. On the contrary, we do not need to threaten God or bargain to gain a hearing. Persistence in this context is to be interpreted as a radical openness to God’s worldview. We used to say God’s will but over time that phrase has taken on connotations that are less than helpful. It was more often understood as “God’s cruel will” as if to suggest that God is out to test us rather than help us.

If our prayer is truly persistent than we are intent on fathoming the mind of God and willing to take the risk that our prayer will change us rather than change God! The old catechism definition still works: “Prayer is the lifting up on the mind and heart to God.” Sooner or later, our prayer will get us in sync with God’s rhythm rather than get God to conform to our whim or want. It’s a better mix in the end and we and we are more likely to prosper in our accomplishments when we are on the side of God rather than when we attempt to get God on our side.

Supported by Sirach’s catechetical guide in the first reading, Luke extends the proper protocol for prayer this week by insisting on honesty and integrity when we go before God. Of course, no one consciously goes before God in prayer with the intention to deceive but denial can lead us to convince God of our greatness. The number of ‘Is’ in our prayers rather than ‘You” or ‘Thou’ is an indicator of our soul at prayer. The Pharisees weren’t all bad people. In fact, they were a righteous people, faithful to the Torah, intent on pure religious observance. For a variety of reasons the name “Pharisee” has taken on negative connotations associated with hypocrisy, pride or double dealing which indeed is a form of denial. But not every Pharisee was of that ilk. The Pharisees themselves criticized their contemporaries who ‘dogged it,’ or pushed their weight around, pursuing position and prestige instead of the humble practice of the Law.

Bill Bausch in his book of stories for preachers relates an anecdote published several years ago in the Los Angels Times about a prominent but angry traveler attempting to book a reservation after the last minute cancellation of his first flight. He had pushed his way to the front of the line and angrily demanded a first-class ticket on the next available flight. “I’m sorry,” said the ticket agent, “I’ll have to take care of the people who were ahead of you in the line.” The irate man asked angrily, “Do you have any idea who I am?” Whereupon, the ticket agent picked up the public address microphone and said, “Attention, please! There is a gentleman at the ticket counter who does not know who he is. If there is anyone in the airport who can identify him, please come to the counter.” Hearing this, the man “humbly” retreated, and the people waiting in line burst into applause at his newfound humility.

Written at the beginning of the Christian era, the Talmud in a somewhat satirical vein lists seven categories of Pharisees six of which justify accusations leveled against them by Jesus and subsequently by the gospel writers as people who pushed their weight around:
1. The strong-shouldered, who carry their deeds on their backs to receive honor from others;
2. The stumblers who, in order to be noticed, drag themselves through the streets and stub their toes on rocks;
3. The head-knockers who avert their eyes so that they may not see women, and knock their heads against the walls;
4. The humiliated who walk doubled over;
5. The ‘calculating’ Pharisees who only practice the Law so that they may reap the rewards it promises;
6. The Pharisees of fear who do good only out of fear of punishment;
7. The Pharisees of devotion who are the best of the lot.

Perhaps there is an updates version of this list within us. I think I might be able to admit to one or more. However, those mentioned last are the ones who are truly in touch with themselves. They know who they are and they know who God is and they are not afraid to confess their own shallowness before God knowing that God will affirm their good efforts rather than dwell on their faults and failures.

The Pharisee in the parable came to the temple to praise himself, in effect throwing a testimonial to himself. The tax collector knew exactly who he was and his honesty was his salvation. Because he was well grounded in truth, he became well rounded in prayer. Prayer is truth! What is at stake here is nothing less than the truth of God recognized by the truth of our deepest attitude toward God and toward others. Genuine prayer is heart to heat dialogue that ultimately liberates us from our worst fears, uncaps our persistent denial and heals us of our most dismal failures. Saint Augustine wrote this about the healthy person at prayer:

“Let the Lord cover your wounds: do not do it yourself. For if you are ashamed to show them, the doctor will not be aware of them. He will cover them with a potent salve and heal them. The wound that the doctor treats will heal. But if the sick person wishes to treat them himself, he will only succeed in hiding them. And from whom does he hide them? From the One who knows all.”

We do not need to tell God who is saint and who is sinner. We have elements of both within us. As St. Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans “If God is for us, who can be against us?” God will never put us down for speaking the truth nor remind us of our fragile nature. It is his will to heal our fractured selves.

As we continue to face our national crises, we need to face our whole truth. As we continue to be horrified over by the events of terrorism, we need to recall that a child is killed every two hours in the United States. Every day! Another 2,100 are reported missing or abducted. Every day. Every 13 seconds a child is molested in the United States.

As we continue to renew ourselves as a church during this time of soul searching, let us be mindful of our own history. Fulcher of Chartres (1058-1130) priest chaplain on the First Crusade wrote in his eyewitness account that his Crusade “will be a new path to heaven… and those Christians who follow this holy war will experience full and complete satisfaction and forgiveness of sins.” The script sounds all too frighteningly familiar! Something like a Christian “Jihad.”

As we continue to mature as individuals, let us be mindful of our own frailty and mortality but confident in the empowering, life-giving love of God that has come to us in Christ Jesus. We need never fear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth because God IS truth, ultimate truth and this Truth will ultimately set us free.

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