Pt Giuse Trần Văn Nhật

PRAYER AND GOD’ S HONOR

Genesis 18:20–32; Psalm 138:1–2, 2–3, 6–7, 7–8; Luke 11:1–13

Two children were visiting their grandfather during summer vacation. As bedtime approached, they decided to pray just as they did at home. The first child began, asking God to help him be a good boy. Immediately afterward, the second child shouted, “God, please make Grandpa buy me a bicycle!” He repeated the request several times—loudly. The first child turned to him and said, “Jason, you don’t need to shout; God’s not deaf.” Jason whispered back, “I know, but Grandpa is hard of hearing, and he needs to hear this prayer.”

Sure enough, the next day, Jason had a brand-new bicycle. Not because God was convinced by the volume, but because Grandpa, who was within earshot, simply couldn't bear the thought of being shamed by his grandson’s public request.

This story—though humorous—highlights a profound truth at the heart of our readings today: honor is a vital, though often misunderstood, aspect of prayer. We might confuse it with nagging, as Abraham seems to do in Genesis 18, negotiating with God for the city of Sodom. Or as the persistent friend in Luke 11, asking for loaves of bread in the dead of night. But let's be clear: nagging and honorable persistence are not the same.

Nagging is a relentless, often selfish, pressure to get what we want, regardless of whether it's good or bad. It's about satisfying our own desires. Honorable persistence, however, is rooted in a different soil altogether.

Consider Abraham. He wasn't nagging God; he was haggling for the innocent. He appealed to God’s very character, reminding Him of His promises, just as Psalm 138 declares: “Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.” Abraham dared to appeal to God's honor, knowing that a just God would not destroy the righteous with the wicked. And God, in His immense generosity and benevolence, accepted the challenge! He was willing to spare Sodom for just ten good people. God desired to display His divine honor!

In the ancient Middle East, a Patron was a powerful, benevolent figure who cared for others, especially the poor, treating them like family. Jesus, in teaching His disciples to pray, invited them to approach God not as a distant monarch, but as their ultimate Patron, much like children approaching their father. This is why the prayer begins, “Our Father.”

Then we proclaim God’s honor: “Hallowed be thy name.” As biblical scholar John J. Pilch explains, this can be understood as “May You be recognized as You truly are.” We are not simply praising a name; we are acknowledging God’s true nature, recognizing Him as the highest being, and expressing our desire to live in His Kingdom where justice and peace reign supreme. We honor God by recognizing Him for who He is.

In our secular world, we often see patrons who show off their power by indulging every client's desire, no matter the outcome. But God is different. A good father doesn't give his children everything they want, only what is good for them. Why? Because a good father disciplines and guides, knowing that a wayward child brings shame not only upon themselves but upon the family name.

Because of the consequences of original sin, we humans are prone to selfishness. We become greedy, jealous, and angry, often over material possessions, reputation, or status. We sin, and in doing so, we damage our relationships with each other and with God, because we insist on our own will, not His. That is why Jesus taught us to pray, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” This is a prayer for God’s honor to be manifested through our obedience.

We then pray for our necessities: “Give us our daily bread.” This isn't just about physical sustenance; it's about the nourishment needed to live with dignity, to avoid sin driven by desperation. When we lack the basic necessities, it can be easy to fall into temptation. God provides for us because it would shame Him if His children were neglected. We are, in essence, asking God to act for His honor.

Next, we humbly confess our failures and seek God’s forgiveness, like a child returning to their father after disobedience. This forgiveness restores our dignity, reaffirming our honor as God's children. And that honor grows exponentially when we “forgive everyone in debt to us.” In this act, we embody the generosity of a patron ourselves, caring for those who owe us.

Finally, we ask God to “do not subject us to the final test.” The Greek word, peirasmos, is complex. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 2846) explains, it means “a trial that leads to sin, or a temptation.” God does not tempt us, but He permits temptations for our growth in virtue. In the context of God’s honor, we ask for the grace to overcome these temptations, so that we may remain worthy of the honor of being His children. This is the ultimate goal of our lives on earth: to live in a way that brings glory and honor to our Heavenly Father. We should strive to avoid sin, lest God be shamed by our actions.

To underscore the importance of this message, Jesus gave His disciples the parable of the man asking for help from a friend out of hospitality. In the ancient Middle East, an elder of a village bore the responsibility of caring for travelers who had no relatives nearby. This custom of hospitality was vital for preventing attacks and ensuring safety.

In the story, a poor man, without food, goes to his friend late at night, asking for bread to feed a traveler. To the friend, providing hospitality is an honor. Yet, to fulfill this honor, he must overcome the inconvenience of being woken up in the middle of the night.

The one with the extra food is rich, but initially unwilling to share. He excuses himself, saying, “The door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed” (Luke 11:7). But Jesus says something remarkable: “If he does not get up to give him the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence” (Luke 11:8).

Biblical scholar John J. Pilch clarifies that the word “persistence” here is better translated as “shamelessness.” The man's continual asking for bread, driven by the demands of hospitality, is a display of “shamelessness.” Why? Because the rich man knows the whole village will find out if he refuses. So he acts—to protect his honor.

From this understanding, Jesus assures us that God will answer our prayers out of His honor. He will respond to our prayers to prove His boundless generosity and benevolence.

Then Jesus says, “Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” So, the question is not “Will God answer?” but “What are we asking for?”

I came across these profound prayers online, which beautifully illustrate this point:

“I asked God to take away my habit. God said, 'No. It is not for me to take away, but for you to give it up.'“

“I asked God to grant me patience. God said, 'No. Patience is a byproduct of tribulations; it is not granted, it is learned.'“

“I asked God to give me happiness. God said, 'No. I give you blessings; happiness is up to you.'“

“I asked God to spare me pain. God said, 'No. Suffering draws you apart from worldly cares and brings you closer to me.'“

To truly be God’s children requires constant discipline on our part. To carry the honor of being a follower of Jesus, we must continually strive to conform our lives to His. Yet, our human nature often feels so heavy, so resistant to even what is good for us – daily exercise, a healthy diet.

We often find temptations more attractive than living in dignity. We rationalize, thinking, “God’s honor is everlasting; it won't be diminished by my actions, so why bother?” While it's true that God's glory is infinite, in the eyes of outsiders, of non-Christians, our poor performance can indeed bring shame upon God's name. And we, too, bear the shame of not fulfilling our duty as witnesses for God.

This is precisely why we need the Holy Spirit! As Jesus says in the closing verse of today’s Gospel, “If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”

May the Holy Spirit dwell richly within us, especially whenever we pray the “Our Father,” so that we may always remember our sacred responsibility: to honor God in our every word and deed. Amen.