20 October 2013
Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
“Lord, please, please, please, if nothing else I ever ask, please grant that . . .”
Perhaps, if we can imagine it, the Lord is already holding His arms out, fighting for us, not unlike Moses in the first reading, interceding on behalf of the people, exhausted in his efforts.
The Lord has been holding His arms out so long that He even needs assistance from others, perhaps you and me, to continuously fight for us and to demonstrate that He is on our side. And while our petitions are very, very important, it’s also important to recognize, even if somewhat uncomfortable, that there are many millions, if not billions, of others petitioning the same Lord to assist with their needs, as well.
Let us indeed be mindful of our own petitions to the Lord, and those of others, as well, this Sunday. And let us join our prayers to those of others in our extended family, our community, our country, and in our world, confident that the Lord is extending His arms over all His beloved sons and daughters, welcoming their prayers to Himself.