Texts taken from the “On Your Word” Daily Missal July-August 2022

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)
1st week of the Psalter

FIRST READING

From the Book of Genesis (Gen 18:20-32)

In those days, the Lord said: “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin is so grave. I will go down to see whether they have really done all the evil of which the outcry that has reached me speaks; I want to know!” The men set out from there and went toward Sodom, while Abraham remained standing before the Lord. Abraham drew nearer and said: “Will you really sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there were fifty righteous people in the city: would you really sweep away the whole place rather than spare it for the sake of the fifty righteous people within it? Far be it from you to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be treated like the wicked. Far be it from you! Should not the judge of all the earth deal justly?” The Lord replied: “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.” Abraham spoke up again: “See how I am presuming to speak to my Lord, though I am but dust and ashes! Suppose there were five fewer than fifty righteous people; would you destroy the whole city because of those five?” “I will not destroy it,” he replied, “if I find forty-five there.” But Abraham persisted, saying, “Perhaps only forty will be found there.” He replied, “I will not do it, for the sake of those forty.” Then Abraham said, “Let not my Lord grow impatient if I go on. Perhaps only thirty will be found there.” He replied, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.” Still Abraham went on: “See how I am presuming to speak to my Lord! Perhaps only twenty will be found there.” He replied, “I will not destroy it, for the sake of those twenty.” Then he said, “Let not my Lord grow impatient if I speak just once more. Perhaps only ten will be found there.” He replied, “I will not destroy it, for the sake of those ten.” – The word of the Lord.

Commentary on the first reading

Many people, including Christians, believe that praying is simply escaping from responsibilities to take refuge in an ideal world, far from life's contradictions. Abraham shows us that the opposite is true: praying means discussing and almost wrestling with God for the salvation of others. Abraham intercedes for the corrupt cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, which the Lord intends to destroy. He asks that they be saved if at least fifty righteous people are found there. The Lord accepts the negotiation because he wants to forgive rather than punish. The dialogue continues down to the number ten: if he finds at least ten righteous people, he will not destroy them. Clearly, the text of Genesis is deliberately symbolic, but one unmistakable fact emerges from the account: only through prayer can we truly speak with the Lord without fear, with complete trust in him even when it seems that he does not hear us. Praying therefore means establishing a relationship of trust with God, just as two friends converse with great openness.

SECOND READING

From the Letter of Saint Paul the Apostle to the Colossians (Col 2:12-14)
Brothers and sisters, you were buried with Christ in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. And even when you were dead in transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God gave you life together with him, having forgiven us all our transgressions and canceled the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. He has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. – The word of the Lord.

Commentary on the second reading

The apostle Paul, writing to the Colossians, reminds us that God sent his Son into the world to save us. The new covenant brought about by Jesus Christ is eternal because it is sealed by his blood, which established the definitive forgiveness of our sins: the signature of this definitive act of God's love is the cross. Therefore, when we make the sign of the cross or contemplate Christ's cross, what feelings of gratitude and love should be present in our hearts! God's love for us is great and eternal and will never fail. This is the most beautiful news humanity was awaiting: this is the Gospel that every person desires. Sin must not distance us from the Lord; rather, through faith, it should lead us to ask forgiveness simply and to resume our journey with Christ.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to Luke (Lk 11:1-13)
Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” He said to them: “When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test.’” He said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him’; and he says in reply from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he will not get up to give him the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence. And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? 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!” – The Gospel of the Lord.

Commentary on the Gospel of the day

In Jesus' time, people slept on the floor, all together, on mats and makeshift beds. This is why the man in the parable cannot get up to open the door to his persistent friend; if he did, he would have to wake his whole family. Yet, the Lord says, this man - if only because of his friend's persistence - gets up to give him what he asks for. Will God, who lovingly hears our prayers, not be even more eager and ready to give us what we ask? As a Father, will he not grant us everything we truly need, just as a father does for his children? With people, it can be difficult and burdensome to ask and knock at their door, but with the Lord there are no obstacles; he is always ready to give us what we pray for if we ask him humbly. This is why Jesus invites us to pray without growing weary, confident in God's provident help. Therefore, praying first of all means persevering, without fearing that we are bothering God. He will know how to answer us at the proper time. All that remains is to find a moment during the day and remain faithful to it, entrusting ourselves completely to the Father and attuning ourselves to the Spirit: it is essential, it changes us and makes us children!