Seventeenth Sunday of Ordinary Time: Peace and Prejudice

Lectionary Readings:

• Genesis 18:20-32. Abraham argues with God not to destroy the wicked cities, if fifty and eventually if only ten just persons are found in them.
• Colossians 2:12-14.The gentiles, though non-observant of the Jewish law and helplessly dead in their sins, were raised to new life in Christ’s resurrection. The decree against us was nailed to the cross.
• Luke 11:1-13. Jesus teaches the Our Father and persistency in prayer. Ask and you shall receive.

Thoughts for Your Consideration: By Fr. Phil Paxton, CP

In the preface for the Eucharistic Prayer for Masses of Reconciliation II, it says, “Father,…in the midst of conflict and division, we know it is you who turn our minds to thoughts of peace.” It seems very much that the time in which we are living is a time of “conflict and division.” Not only is there war and terror and the use of violence, but there is anger and political division, not only in far-away places, but right here in our own country. Prejudice and hatred and fear are alive and well all over.

Evil, it seems, is always with us. Look at our first reading from Genesis (18:20-32). God is planning to investigate for Himself what is going on in Sodom and Gomorrah. But while He is standing there, Abraham pleads with Him: “Will you sweep away the innocent with the guilty?” Abraham starts his petition with God, asking mercy if there are fifty innocent people there. The discussion ends with God promising mercy if there are only ten innocent people there.

What a contrast with much of what is going on today! While we read of Abraham begging for mercy for the many who are guilty because of the innocence of a few, so many in the world today are ready to condemn the many who are innocent because of the guilt of a few! That kind of condemnation is the rationale for stereotyping, and the justification for prejudice and discrimination (I’m not using the word “racism” or any other “ism” here. There are those who place racism with only one group, because they define “racism” as prejudice with the power to impose itself on a system, and usually there is one dominant group who has most of the power. However, all of us, no matter what our background, can fall into prejudice and bigotry). How easy it can be for us to pass judgment and condemn others!

How can we get beyond prejudice and bigotry and the divisions that exist even within a community, or a church? For me, the first thing is to recognize our own need for forgiveness and mercy. In our second reading from Colossians (2;12-14), the author reminds his fellow Christians that Christ “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.” Jesus sacrificed Himself on the Cross out of love and mercy for all of us!

As we acknowledge our own need for God’s mercy and love, we need to turn to God to help us. In our Gospel reading (Luke 11;1-13), Jesus promises us that God will answer: “And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you….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?” That same preface that I mentioned above says, “Your Spirit is at work when understanding puts an end to strife, when hatred is quenched by mercy, and vengeance gives way to forgiveness.” You see, it is not so much about asking for the new car, or for a lot of money. It’s about asking for the guidance to live a holy and abundant life. 

There is much hatred and division in our world, but we need not follow it. We have the Holy Spirit, helping us to follow the Gospel of Jesus Christ, instead. Jesus was passionate about what He proclaimed. He warned the Pharisees and the other leaders about the path they were on. But He did not come to condemn them or anyone else. He came to save us! We are called to follow Him!