XXIII Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) 2020 Drawing close to God: a private and communal concern and cause for prayer Readings: Ezekiel 33: 7-9 / Psalm 95 / Romans 13: 8-10 / Matthew 18: 15-20
As my friend agonized in the hospital and was at the brink of death, a tremendous wave began to surge. I’m talking about a spiritual one that takes the form of prayer, not the crashing force of hurricane-driven seas. Prayer has always been a part of my life and family and I have witnessed how the good Lord works and responds when voices and hearts are lifted up to him.
This time, however, was unique. News of my friend’s struggle went out quickly to our Cursillo group. In a matter of minutes, it seemed like people all over the city and other communities were joined in prayer. It was before the dawn of social media and email was still a big novelty, but people were connected, now through prayer.
Other patients on the floor and throughout the hospital and their families came by and asked us to pray for them and their loved ones, too. Nurses were talking about that patient who at first appeared to be hopeless but was now miraculously responding to their efforts and that so many people were coming by to pray for her and with her. I always knew it was important to pray, but I had rarely witnessed such a spiritual and prayerful mobilization.
If you asked me to describe my experience of conversion, I would characterize it in three primary ways: first, it is ongoing; two, it has had to do with prayer, especially as a uniting force and way to make Christ present among us. Third, even though many consider conversion as an individual or personal matter, it is authenticated in community, in our openness to communion with others. These three aspects are not conditions, but ways in which Christ accompanies us and call us to live out his commands.
In today’s Gospel reading from the eighteenth chapter of Matthew, a few terms, verbs, describe what Jesus calls us to do and how we are to do it. “Again, amen, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18: 19-20).
The terms, agree, pray and gather are included by Jesus not only to describe what it means to follow him, but also to show what such following consists of. Agreement might be viewed as superficial, but here he makes clear that the intentional coming together and over a shared reason, joy or effort is a major aspect of how we are called to come to our Heavenly Father.
The individual cries for help that rise up from our hearts to God are not diminished, but when such cries join us with others, we offer them the opportunity to exercise charity and we learn the grace of humility. We are given the opportunity to experience God’s goodness wrapped in the love, faith and support of others.
Through all of this, a dynamic of relationship and communion can be discerned. Effort and intention are required. Barriers must be overcome, both those that exist between us and other persons as well as between us and God.
Renewing our relationship with God is the task and fruit of conversion. In his care for us, Christ teaches that the same renewal must occur in our lives and communities. God calls his beloved children to come together and remain that way. Our individual needs and concerns as well as those of others are his concern. Being true to the Lord occurs when what he is concerned about becomes our purpose.
A current running through today’s Gospel reading is the meaning and role of communion and community. The role and need of union in our experience as followers of Christ is meant to govern our lives in the here and now and remind us of how we belong to God and each other.
Christ calls us to follow him and doing so is meant to bring us into union with him and others who receive his same calling. We can consider the achievement and enjoyment of such union as communion. It must be nurtured and cared for. Prayer, naturally, is a primary way of making sure we do that.
The power of prayer is something that continually reminds me that Christ is real and his graces are operative in all moments and places. While holding fast to my individual prayer, I am often more inspired by the prayer and its fruit I witness in the people I serve.
As my friend struggled in the hospital, God listened. She was healed and recovered. No doubt in her unconscious state she was praying, too. The prayer and cry of one single person can reach God’s ear just as well as the petitions of millions. It is not so much the number of voices clamoring in prayer and their volume that draws the Lord’s attention, but how the goodness of one is magnified by the love of two or three or more, how the cry of one is made even stronger when others give their voices to it, in prayer and because of love.
In a time of social distancing, the value of prayer and union with others has likely become appreciated as never before. Through it all, Christ remains ….with us and in us. Through it all, he invites us to find him in our own calls for help and in the cries, voiced and silent, of those around us.