17th Sunday C: Teach us to Pray; Liturgical Prayers
Greeting (see Rom 8:14-15)
Those are sons and daughters of God who are led by the
Spirit of God. We have received a Spirit who makes us God’s children and who makes
us cry out: Father! May this Spirit be always with you. R/ And also with you.
Introduction by the Celebrant
Speaking to Our Father
The first lengthy prayer we learned as children, and the
prayer we still pray most often, is probably the “Our Father.” Is it more than
a formula to us? Is it to us, as it was for Jesus, a word of warmth and
tenderness, and a cry of trust and close relationship? With Jesus we stand here
before our Father and with the Spirit in our hearts we call out: “Father, our
Father!”
Put Your Life in Your Prayer
It would perhaps be much easier for us to pray if prayer were
not just a compartment in life, some moments we reserve for certain places and
occasions, and times of special need. Prayer is less a way of obtaining favors
from God than a way of expressing to our Father in heaven, to Jesus or the
Spirit our trust in God, speaking about our life, our difficulties and our
joys, entrusting to God those who are dear to us in life or death and even
recommending to him those who cause us trouble. And remember, in praying we do
not try to bend God to our will, but we ask that we may do his will. How long
ago have we prayed this way?
Penitential Act
“Forgive us our sins, for we forgive each one who is in debt
to us” is our prayer today in the Eucharist. (pause)
Lord Jesus, you taught us that God is our loving and
forgiving Father and that we can speak to him with all trust: Lord, have mercy.
R/ Lord, have mercy.
Jesus Christ, you have brought us together to give with you
all thanks and praise to our Father in heaven: Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ,
have mercy.
Lord Jesus, you brought us pardon, and you announced to us
that the time has come for peace and reconciliation with one another: Lord,
have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Have mercy on us, Lord, and take all our sins away. Make us
messengers of your pardon and peace, and lead us to everlasting life. R/ Amen.
Opening Prayer
Let us pray in all simplicity to our heavenly Father the way
Jesus taught us (pause)
God our Father, we too are asking your Son to teach us how
to pray, and he has told us to speak to you with all trust. Make us bold enough
to pray insistently to you and to keep asking for what we need until, in your
kindness, you give it, to keep seeking until we find. Do not allow us to forget
to pray also for the needs of others and, first of all, for the things that
matter: you and your will and your kingdom. We ask you this in the name of
Jesus our Lord. R/ Amen.
First Reading (Gen 18:20-32): Insistent and Trusting
Prayer
At Abraham’s insistent prayer, the just God is willing to
spare cities of sin for the sake of a handful of good people.
1 Reading: Gen 18:20-32
Second Reading (Col 2:12-14): Christ, Our Mediator
We have been saved by the prayer in action of the death
and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We have become one with him in baptism.
2 Reading: Col 2:12-14
Gospel (Lk 11:1-13): Children Speaking to Their Father
Before Jesus told his disciples how to pray and what to
pray for, he revealed himself to them as a man of prayer.
Gospel: Lk 11:1-13
Intercessions
Let us pray to our Father in heaven with the complete trust
that Jesus taught us and let us say: R/ Lord, hear our prayer.
– Let
us pray for the pope, for bishops, priests, religious and all committed men and
women, that they may pray for the People of God in spirit and in truth, and
prove the sincerity of their prayer by what they say to the people and do for
them, as we say: R/ Lord, hear our prayer.
– Let
us pray that we may learn to be constant in prayer, so that the source of our
strength may never run dry and that we may live and work in the presence of
God, as we say: R/ Lord, hear our prayer.
– Let
us pray for all Christians and all people, that prayer may not become to them a
flight from life or from involvement with people in need, as we say: R/ Lord, hear
our prayer.
– Let
us pray for all of us that we may not seek false security in piling up
resounding words and that we may have the courage to face ourselves in all
sincerity before God, as we pray: R/ Lord, hear our prayer.
– And
may we also learn from Christ to place first things first when we pray, to give
priority to the things that really matter: the coming of God’s kingdom and the
good of the People of God, as we say: R/ Lord, hear our prayer.
Father in heaven, open our eyes and ears to you, to
ourselves and to people, that we may know what to pray for and that we may be
open to your answer to our prayer, even when it is different from what we
expect. We ask this through Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
Prayer over the Gifts
Our Father in heaven, you are always approachable and
available, and so we bring this bread and wine before you. May this Eucharist
and every prayer be an occasion for us to deepen our relationship with you, to
understand you better and to love you more, to understand ourselves better and
to love people more, through the prayers of Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer
We often forget one form of prayer, perhaps the most
important of all: namely, praise and thanks to God. In the Eucharistic Prayer
we join Christ himself in praise of our Father.
Invitation to the Lord’s Prayer
With our Lord Jesus Christ let us call God our Father and
ask from him all we need. R/ Our Father...
Deliver Us
Deliver us, Lord, from every evil and grant us peace in our
day. Keep us free from sin and protect us from fear, from routine and
discouragement when we pray to you. Help us to work in joy and hope for your
kingdom and for the coming among us of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. R/ For
the kingdom...
Invitation to Communion
This is the Lord who says to us: Ask and you will receive; seek,
and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. Happy are we to
be invited to the table of the Lord and to receive him as our bread of life. R/
Lord, I am not worthy...
Prayer after Communion
Our Father in heaven, we thank you for giving us your Son in
this Eucharistic celebration. May we learn from him not only to pray to you but
also to let our deeds match our words. May our prayers prompt us to commit
ourselves more deeply to bring forgiveness, justice, and love to all, that
people may praise your name now and forever. R/ Amen.
Blessing
The Lord has spoken to us his reassuring word: Ask and you
will receive. The Father will give you what you need. May almighty God be
always with you and bless you with all good gifts: the Father, and the Son, and
the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.
Let us go in all trust in the peace and joy of the Lord.
R/ Thanks be to God.
***
Commentary
Intercessory
Prayer
Read:
Abraham
intercedes before Yahweh for Sodom and Gomorrah on account of the good souls
there. God forgave our sins thanks to the intercession of Christ. Jesus teaches
the disciples how to pray.
Reflect:
The power
of intercessory prayer to trump justice in favor of mercy! The cry of justice
against Sodom and Gomorrah had reached the throne of God. However, Abraham
takes it upon himself to plead for mercy on the twin cities, on account of some
good souls there. He resorts to bargaining, succeeding all the way to get God
to spare the cities if there were at least ten good souls there. If Abraham
bargained with God, Christ’s bargain beats every other: he does so on behalf of
us, offering up himself in our place. Can God ever refuse such an intercession?
Jesus assures the disciples of the power of intercession when he narrates the
parable of a man who pleads for food for his friend who came visiting. Whatever
we ask in prayer, especially when it is on behalf of another, is granted:
perhaps not exactly as we desire, but far better than we can ever
imagine.
Pray:
Pray,
interceding for the needs of those around you.
Act:
Be the
answer to prayer. Identify the need of a neighbor and respond to the same.
