Catholic Sunday Readings : 17th
Sunday Year C
Jesus wasn’t bluffing when He said that He came that we may have life and have it more abundantly. To fulfil His word He gave us one commandment, just one precious key LOVE GODDE and LOVE NEIGHBOUR. Do this and you will have life to the full. Yet today many of us experience powerlessness to make our lives happy and powerlessness to touch the lives of those around us with goodness. Beloved whether you like it or not you need Money to be Christian to yourself and to others; you need Money to be able to LOVE GODDE and LOVE NEIGHBOUR. Scripture says in Ecclesiastes 10:19 “Bread is made for laughter, and wine gladdens life, and money answers everything”. Have no Money and Mountains stand in the way of your abundant life. A lot of sins and debts come from the lack of money. What is the Mountain that is blocking your way today? What is the mountain that is keeping your pocket and your bank account empty? What is the mountain that puts your honour of identifying and living as Christian at stake today before others? Name it! Name it! Name it!
Money is useful but it makes a false god! 30 pieces of silver brought a cross for Jesus, but Jesus turned the cross into our salvation, our provision and our satisfaction. Beloved in our second reading Paul says your baptism, infant or adult, connected you to this power of the cross; Your baptism connected you to the Holy Spirit, the power of Godde to raise you up so you can stand over mountains; Your baptism empowers you to call Godde, Father; to call Godde, Mother and connect to all the parental love, bread, wine and wealth that you need to be a true Christian to others in need.
‘I am baptised’, you may say, ‘so how come mountains still block my way’? Beloved, because you do not know how to pray! Admit it! Admit it! Admit it to Jesus! Lord, teach me how to pray! If you knew how to pray we wouldn’t be having this discussion, we would just be singing praises of thanksgiving for answered prayer. If you knew how to pray you wouldn’t be looking for TB Joshua and other prophets and prophetesses to work miracles for you when the Holy Spirit is dwelling in your bones; If you knew how to pray you wouldn’t be obsessed with getting money when you have the Trinity with whom comes every good thing; If you knew how to pray you wouldn’t be anxious and worried, having ulcers, gastritis, crisis, high blood pressure, confusion, indecision, weeping, sulking, complaining, blaming, scapegoating, fear of difference, hating, for whatever need you ask you would be given, whenever you seek, you will find and as you knock the door will be opened! So admit it, you and I more often than not, do not know how to pray!
Say it with me; “Lord, teach us to pray!” I am tired of living a half-life, “Lord! Teach us to pray,” I am tired of feeling miserable for myself & for my future “Lord! Teach us to pray!” I am tired of blaming others for my lack of success as years pass me by, “Lord! Teach us to pray!” I am tired of people-pleasing instead of Jesus-pleasing, “ Lord! Teach us to pray!” I am tired of my fear that you will not answer me, “Lord! Teach us to pray!” I am tired of my fear that you will stand-me-up when I need you most, “Lord teach us to pray!” Teach US, not Teach Me; Teach US, because prayer and answered prayer is a communion of Self with Godde and neighbour. Abraham could have said, Yes! Lord, they are a wicked people, an evil and inhospitable generation; wipe them off the face of the earth so You and I can have peace. But No! Abraham used intercessory prayer, importunate prayer; called on Godde’s justice, ‘ will you punish the innocent with the wicked?’ and on Godde’s Mercy ‘Spare the entire city for the sake of the innocent.’ Beloved, Godde has spared us for the sake of innocent Jesus. Importune Prayer is the master key! Importune Prayer unlocks the power of each person of the Trinity within us and moves mountains. Importune prayer engages the other to do justice and show mercy and come to your help for free.
Jesus teaches us in the gospel that prayer is formula, presence and encounter: ASK, SEEK, KNOCK. In the parable ASKING is specific in audience, demand and number; SEEKING engages Known and trusted opportunities and others; KNOCKING persists without shame, caring less about human pride. Jesus adds to call on Godde’s Charity in addition to Godde’s justice and mercy. This is importune prayer and it connects to the power of the persons of the Trinity; it empowers you to climb over mountains, it provides for your talents and career to fill your pocket and account; it makes rock solid your relationship with Godde; it cures all PGIs – poverty generated illnesses; it gives the testimony of miracles wrought at your own hands; it keep you praying for your needs and those of others.
It is best beloved to take some time now and look back into your own history for when a flimsy moment of faith, trust, prayer, research and request got you your heart’s desire. What better example of the power of importunate prayer and Godde’s fidelity to you. Beloved, Jesus is the fidelity of Godde, Jesus is your surety of answered prayer, Jesus is your ticket for a full life, Jesus not money, is Godde’s promise for a fulfilled purpose, for fulfilled dreams. Beloved as I preach to you today I preach to myself. Let us dare to trust Godde’s word today and call on Jesus on this day confident that we will sing thanks with the psalmist saying ‘Thank you Lord for on the day that I called you answered me’. Be fired up and blessed as you believe! AMEN
Jesus wasn’t bluffing when He said that He came that we may have life and have it more abundantly. To fulfil His word He gave us one commandment, just one precious key LOVE GODDE and LOVE NEIGHBOUR. Do this and you will have life to the full. Yet today many of us experience powerlessness to make our lives happy and powerlessness to touch the lives of those around us with goodness. Beloved whether you like it or not you need Money to be Christian to yourself and to others; you need Money to be able to LOVE GODDE and LOVE NEIGHBOUR. Scripture says in Ecclesiastes 10:19 “Bread is made for laughter, and wine gladdens life, and money answers everything”. Have no Money and Mountains stand in the way of your abundant life. A lot of sins and debts come from the lack of money. What is the Mountain that is blocking your way today? What is the mountain that is keeping your pocket and your bank account empty? What is the mountain that puts your honour of identifying and living as Christian at stake today before others? Name it! Name it! Name it!
Money is useful but it makes a false god! 30 pieces of silver brought a cross for Jesus, but Jesus turned the cross into our salvation, our provision and our satisfaction. Beloved in our second reading Paul says your baptism, infant or adult, connected you to this power of the cross; Your baptism connected you to the Holy Spirit, the power of Godde to raise you up so you can stand over mountains; Your baptism empowers you to call Godde, Father; to call Godde, Mother and connect to all the parental love, bread, wine and wealth that you need to be a true Christian to others in need.
‘I am baptised’, you may say, ‘so how come mountains still block my way’? Beloved, because you do not know how to pray! Admit it! Admit it! Admit it to Jesus! Lord, teach me how to pray! If you knew how to pray we wouldn’t be having this discussion, we would just be singing praises of thanksgiving for answered prayer. If you knew how to pray you wouldn’t be looking for TB Joshua and other prophets and prophetesses to work miracles for you when the Holy Spirit is dwelling in your bones; If you knew how to pray you wouldn’t be obsessed with getting money when you have the Trinity with whom comes every good thing; If you knew how to pray you wouldn’t be anxious and worried, having ulcers, gastritis, crisis, high blood pressure, confusion, indecision, weeping, sulking, complaining, blaming, scapegoating, fear of difference, hating, for whatever need you ask you would be given, whenever you seek, you will find and as you knock the door will be opened! So admit it, you and I more often than not, do not know how to pray!
Say it with me; “Lord, teach us to pray!” I am tired of living a half-life, “Lord! Teach us to pray,” I am tired of feeling miserable for myself & for my future “Lord! Teach us to pray!” I am tired of blaming others for my lack of success as years pass me by, “Lord! Teach us to pray!” I am tired of people-pleasing instead of Jesus-pleasing, “ Lord! Teach us to pray!” I am tired of my fear that you will not answer me, “Lord! Teach us to pray!” I am tired of my fear that you will stand-me-up when I need you most, “Lord teach us to pray!” Teach US, not Teach Me; Teach US, because prayer and answered prayer is a communion of Self with Godde and neighbour. Abraham could have said, Yes! Lord, they are a wicked people, an evil and inhospitable generation; wipe them off the face of the earth so You and I can have peace. But No! Abraham used intercessory prayer, importunate prayer; called on Godde’s justice, ‘ will you punish the innocent with the wicked?’ and on Godde’s Mercy ‘Spare the entire city for the sake of the innocent.’ Beloved, Godde has spared us for the sake of innocent Jesus. Importune Prayer is the master key! Importune Prayer unlocks the power of each person of the Trinity within us and moves mountains. Importune prayer engages the other to do justice and show mercy and come to your help for free.
Jesus teaches us in the gospel that prayer is formula, presence and encounter: ASK, SEEK, KNOCK. In the parable ASKING is specific in audience, demand and number; SEEKING engages Known and trusted opportunities and others; KNOCKING persists without shame, caring less about human pride. Jesus adds to call on Godde’s Charity in addition to Godde’s justice and mercy. This is importune prayer and it connects to the power of the persons of the Trinity; it empowers you to climb over mountains, it provides for your talents and career to fill your pocket and account; it makes rock solid your relationship with Godde; it cures all PGIs – poverty generated illnesses; it gives the testimony of miracles wrought at your own hands; it keep you praying for your needs and those of others.
It is best beloved to take some time now and look back into your own history for when a flimsy moment of faith, trust, prayer, research and request got you your heart’s desire. What better example of the power of importunate prayer and Godde’s fidelity to you. Beloved, Jesus is the fidelity of Godde, Jesus is your surety of answered prayer, Jesus is your ticket for a full life, Jesus not money, is Godde’s promise for a fulfilled purpose, for fulfilled dreams. Beloved as I preach to you today I preach to myself. Let us dare to trust Godde’s word today and call on Jesus on this day confident that we will sing thanks with the psalmist saying ‘Thank you Lord for on the day that I called you answered me’. Be fired up and blessed as you believe! AMEN
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