I Met God Today

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Reflection on the readings   24 July 2022    ‘Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.’  Be careful what you pray for! This Sunday’s readings offer lessons on prayer. The Gospel passage opens with Jesus at prayer – a familiar scene in Luke – and with an intriguing request from the disciples: ‘Lord, teach us to pray.’ Why do they ask this? Presumably well-tutored already in those prayers recited in the synagogue and Temple, the disciples do not need to learn more. They speak of John and his disciples, but perhaps this is really about Jesus and them as His disciples. Do they hope to learn to become more like Jesus, to approach their God as Jesus does? Whatever their motivation, Jesus responds positively. The disciples do not learn specific words for reciting by rote. Instead, Jesus teaches them about relationship with God. He offers guidance on how to pray and what to pray for, on the importance of perseverance, and on the effective

‘The harvest is rich … ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest’ Today’s Gospel may prompt us to pray for vocations to religious life but it prompts us too to something more (Matthew 9:32-38). ‘The harvest is rich’ Do you hear the invitation these words contain?   ‘The harvest is rich’ Many hands are needed to bring in this rich harvest, to join Jesus’ mission of making the Kingdom present in our world, to bring God’s good news to those who need it today.   ‘The harvest is rich’ Jesus’ words are an invitation to consider your call as a disciple of Jesus, an identity that became yours at your baptism.   What does Jesus ask of you, his disciple? Will you say yes? Will you be part of the people who bring in the harvest?   ‘The harvest is rich’