The Lord Rescues: Reflections on the Readings for the Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C

Sirach 35:12-14, 16-18
Psalm 34
2 Timothy 4:6-8. 17-18
Luke 18:9-14

The Lord stands by us, even when we are at our worst. He constantly calls us to repentance, to come back to Him. He hears us when we call. Many question the value of prayer, often denying that God even hears our prayers much less that he responds to them. St. James explains what affects many, “You ask but do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” (James 4:3) People want an answer to their prayers but often want to tell God how to answer them and then are disappointed (or unbelieving) when they don’t get the particular result they are seeking. Sometimes in retrospect, they may realize that their prayer was answered in a manner better than they had thought. Fr. Mitch Pacwa, in his book, Praying the Gospels with Fr. Mitch Pacwa: Jesus’ Miracles in Galilee, asks, “How often do we seek a particular need or want, but something unsought is given to us?” We need to follow the Blessed Mother’s method at the wedding in Cana. She informed Jesus of the need (“They have no wine”), but left the solution to Him telling the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.” (John 2:3-5) Today we see many responses to prayer.

In the first reading we are told that God “hears the cry of the oppressed.” But there’s a catch. “The one who serves God willingly is heard; his petition reaches the heavens.” The one who serves God willingly has faith. As we have seen in the various readings in recent weeks, faith is essential to successful encounters with Christ, such that a lack of faith resulted in His being unable to perform significant healings during His stop in Nazareth. (Matthew 13:58) Additionally, it helps to approach God with humility, “The prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds ...” And, as we saw last week, persistence helps, “it does not rest till it reaches its goal, nor will it withdraw till the Most High responds ...”

Some may question the comment that “the Lord will not delay,” as the answer often does not come when we want it and may even come in a way and at a time when we don’t expect it. We forget that God’s time is different from our time and we don’t often trust that God really knows what He’s doing and will pick the best time, even though we may not realize it. He has a bigger picture than we do and can put all of the pieces together better than we ever could.

The responsorial, segments of which we heard earlier this year, picks up this theme also. “The Lord hears the cry of the poor.” Like the first reading it also notes the need for faith and trust in Him. “When the just cry out, the LORD hears them, and from all their distress he rescues them.”

Some of today’s psalm appears to almost be a forerunner of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. (Matthew 5) “The lowly will hear me and be glad; ... the Lord is close to the brokenhearted; ... those who are crushed in spirit He saves.” The poor in spirit are humble, and they will be heard. The psalmist urges trust in the Lord.

The second letter to Timothy may sound familiar. Like the psalm it was also read during the feast of Saints Peter and Paul at the end of June this year. Paul has been persecuted, imprisoned, even stoned and he sees that the end is probably near. He sees that the race is finished but nevertheless he continues to rely on the Lord. He felt deserted by some of his followers but refuses to hold a grudge.

Paul is now awaiting the “crown of righteousness” that awaits the saints. “Blessed is the man who endures trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love him.” (James 1:12)

From the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, “Paul’s confidence that such a reward awaits him rests on his sense of accomplishment, since, after 30 years of ministry, toil, and suffering, he has remained firm in the faith without straying from the course set for him by Christ (2 Timothy 4:7, Acts 20:24).” He continues to trust in the Lord. “The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat and will bring me safe to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.” Paul sets an example of persistence for us that to have faith is to trust the Lord always.

We also hear about righteousness in the gospel reading, albeit from two different perspectives. The pharisee is all about self-righteousness, otherwise known as pride. Both the pharisee and the tax-collector are praying to the Lord. But the pharisee is boasting about his own greatness. Meanwhile the tax-collector is abasing himself before the Lord, “[he] would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, 'O God, be merciful to me a sinner.'”

The Catechism notes that three things go into what makes actions moral: “the object, the intention, and the circumstances.” (CCC 1757) It highlights the fact that such things as vainglory (i.e., boasting) can make what is normally considered a good act (e.g., praying), sinful or immoral. It also addresses the reverse quoting St. Thomas Aquinas, “’An evil action cannot be justified by reference to a good intention.’ The end does not justify the means.” (CCC 1759) It is because of the boasting of the pharisee, making his “good deeds” all about himself rather than an appeal to God, that Jesus tells his audience, “I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted." St. Paul also reminded us of this in his letter to the Galatians, “For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he is deluding himself.” (Galatians 6:3)

C.S. Lewis cautions against pride in his classic novel, The Screwtape Letters. At one point the experienced demon, Screwtape, advises his protégé, Wormwood, how to twist a good deed his target human had done to try to make him proud. “Catch him at the moment when he is really poor in spirit and smuggle into his mind the gratifying reflection, ‘By jove! I’m being humble’, and almost immediately pride – pride at his own humility will appear.” He tells Wormwood to concentrate his target’s attention on himself, his senses, and vanity (having the “right kind of friends,” etc.) “As long as he retains externally the habits of a Christian, he can still be made to think of himself as one who has adopted a few new friends and amusements but whose spiritual state is much the same as it was six weeks ago” (at his conversion). How many of us go through the motions thinking we are being obedient, when actually we refuse to follow all of the Church’s teaching thus deceiving ourselves?

Again from St. Paul, “Let no one deceive himself. If any one among you considers himself wise in this age, let him become a fool so as to become wise.” (1 Corinthians 3:18)