By Fr. Andrew Kelly
SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY ORDINAL TIME – JULY 28, 2013
On Sunday the believing community will ask: “Lord, teach us to pray…” (Luke 11:1-13)
In the prayer that Jesus teaches, the community receives its identity as Jesus’ sisters and brothers. God becomes the community’s Father just as God is Jesus’ father.
The petitions Jesus teaches become community prayers when the petitions are lived. The lived petitions reveal the community lives what it prays.
When Jesus’ prayer and the community’s actions become one, Jesus’ prayer might begin to sound something like this:
“Father, may our lives be as holy as your name is holy.
“May the coming of your kingdom be our only agenda and the driving force behind all our actions.
“As you give us bread every day, may we share your bread with others so everyone can be sustained as you sustain us.
“May our lives be as filled with forgiveness as you are filled with forgiveness for us.
“May we be so aware of your powerful presence, that we will never be tempted to abandon living your words and deeds.”
If the community were ever asked: “Teach us how to pray…” The community’s answer would simply be:
“Watch our actions. Our prayer words just naturally flow from our actions.”
(Father Andrew Kelly is a retired priest of the Diocese of Davenport.)
Scripture Readings for July 28 to Aug. 4
Sunday
Gn 18:20-32
Col 2:12-14
Lk 11:1-13
Monday
Ex 32:15-24, 30-34
Jn 11:19-27 or Lk 10:38-42
Tuesday
Ex 33:7-11; 34:5b-9, 28
Mt 13:36-43
Wednesday
Ex 34:29-35
Mt 13:44-46
Thursday
Ex 40:16-21, 34-38
Mt 13:47-53
Friday
Lv 23:1, 4-11, 15-16, 27, 34b-37
Mt 13:54-58
Saturday
Lv 25:1, 8-17
Mt 14:1-12
Sunday
Ecc 1:2; 2:21-23
Col 3:1-5, 9-11
Lk 12:13-21
