30th Sunday in Ordinary Time – C
“Life is given to us on the definite understanding that we boldly
defend it to the last.” -Charles Dickens, The Chimes
Too often we focus all our attention on what we have done, what we have not done, what we should do – and what others should or should not do according to our rules and expectations. We run the risk then of losing sight of the God who created us, in His image and likeness, who redeemed us by the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ, and who holds our very existence in His hands every day of our lives – and we all share in this challenge through our actions, through our prayer.
Today’s Scripture offers us a similar message and shows us the proper attitude for a disciple of Jesus Christ. This attitude is rooted in prayer. Notice, in the Gospel, the two men praying in the Temple; one is very humble and acknowledges his humanity while the other is self-righteous.
The writer of the Book of Sirach speaks of the power of prayer, especially the prayer of the lowly, who see themselves as dependent on God.
St. Paul in his letter to Timothy shows us the proper attitude for a disciple. St. Paul accomplished more in his missionary journeys than seems humanly possible, yet he never boasts about his accomplishments as though they are his own doing. The credit always-and rightly so is given to God first. St. Paul knows that he needs to focus on his goal, like a runner focused on the finish line. He is not distracted by minor setbacks or by what other people may be saying and doing around him.
St. Paul is quick to acknowledge his weaknesses, to remind his listeners that he really is very much as they are, but that through the grace of God he has been able to move beyond his weakness into a position of strength.
We, like St. Paul, know our own past mistakes and weaknesses, but we also know, we hope, for the forgiveness of God in our lives, and in that knowledge, we are able then to forgive ourselves and others.
When things in our life are going well, it is always tempting to believe that it is due to our own challenging work or talent. We forget the source of all the good gifts in our life is our loving God! When this becomes a habit, the next step always seems to be to look down on those who have not been as fortunate. Having an attitude of prayer and gratitude, however, keeps our eyes fixed on God and enables us to reach out to others and protect them, respect them, and defend them simply because they too, like us, are created in the image and likeness of God.
It is with an attitude of prayer in our lives that we can stand or kneel before God in prayer and acknowledge our great need for His grace. When we gaze upon the face of God in our humility, we can truly allow ourselves to be found by God, right where we are, no matter the circumstances of life. As St. Paul realized in his life, the risen Jesus has not abandoned us when we feel defeated or down on our luck. So, when we feel beaten down, tired and weary, confused, disillusioned, off-track, we should remember that what we do in our lives every day is part of the completion of the divine plan of God for us.