17th Sunday Homily-What do we truly want?


Grants requests are a necessary in the nonprofit world, but they can be onerous.
Basically, it is like a loan application.  Someone has money, usually a foundation, and to receive some, you have to prove your value, prove your need, prove the value of the project.  It takes a lot of wordsmithing, re-writing, and a strong dose of humility.
And there is no guarantee that any money will be given.
Of course Foundations do this because they have limited funds and want to ensure it is effective.

How about this...ever do one of those chain letters or emails?  You receive it, and you have to pass it along to a certain number of people, and if you do, your wish will be granted.

Of course there are the famous emails from Nigerian princes and princesses...just send them $100 to cover expenses and your bank account info and $1,000,000 will be wired to your account. 

Some people can treat God the same way:  as a Foundation, as a Loan Officer; even as a scam artist.

Really, I have encountered people who consider God in this manner.  God will give you every request, if you but do this, that and one more thing…
Pray on certain days, fast on certain days, stand a certain way, receive communion a certain way…You will get what you want.
Or I will do this if God does that.

What do we want from God?
What do we want from life?

I think a lot of us in this Western world can act rather entitled.  We can think we deserve certain things and a certain lifestyle.  
We feel entitled to an easy life, a good life.  And our petitions to God can reflect that.

Problems arise when we think our prayers are unanswered.
And I have encountered people quite angry with God, since God did not give them what they wanted, what they felt entitled to. They presume they lived up to their end of the bargain, God had better do the same.

God is not a human person.
We are created in God’s image, not the other way around.
God is NOT a capitalist, nor a socialist, nor whatever kind of economic system we have created.

God is God.

Jesus reveals this God, our Father and the will of the Father
The Father created us to work with all of God so that this world will flourish with justice, compassion, with Love.

The Father's will is that we be one, just as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one, and work together for the good of all.

The Father's will that is that God’s compassion, justice, mercy, God’s love which is in heaven, also be present here on earth.
The Father created this world to hold and flourish with God.
We are created to fulfill this will, to make this happen.

Our prayers, ultimately are about fulfilling God’s will; about being one with God’s will.

Jesus’ attitude...look at that prayer he gave.
It is one of utter humility.
It recognizes that the Father is in control, not him nor us.
It recognizes that everything is about fulfilling the Father’s will; not his, not ours.

What does the prayer directly ask for?  Forgiveness; forgiveness because we ourselves have forgiven.

And pay attention to that last full sentence...the Father will give us the Holy Spirit, God’s very grace of love.  The Spirit that unites the Trinity as one, this is given to us, for our unity with the Trinity and with each other.

The Spirit, so that we can faithfully and effectively work with for the Father, to fulfill his will, here on earth as it is in heaven.

The Father is not parsimonious with this Grace, the Holy Spirit.  There is a never-ending supply of it, and God gives is freely, wholly, completely.  

The issue seems to be us, not open to receiving it.

Humility opens us to the Holy Spirit.

So much of our anger in our lives, so much of the suffering in this world...could be relieved by our openness to the Holy Spirit, to the spirit of humility.

Humility is not acquiescence.  It is not about accepting injustice and say, “I can’t do that”  No, humility means we are grounded in God’s mission.

This is the spirit that is working to stop the attack on the homeless, and can actually work to end homelessness in our city.

Humility says where is God’s justice needed?, and what can I and others do to make it real.

Now, can we pray for good grades?  For good snow this winter? Can we pray for our sick family members and friends?

Absolutely.  These are desires.  Yet, we also let go and say 
“Okay God this is what I want, but change me...to study better, to use the water wisely, to help those who are sick.  

Change me, so that this world will be better for all.
Change me so that I may be more open to your Spirit, and Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven”.

Can we?

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