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"Passionate Prayer"
St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Ninth Sunday after Pentecost
The Rev. Robert Cotton Fite
Good morning. If the Genesis reading of Abraham’s
bargaining with God is not one of my favorites in Hebrew scripture,
it is surely close to it. “Pardon me God for my impudence,
but would you consider sparing Sodom and Gomorrah for 50 righteous?
Terrific! Would you consider 45? 40?” On and on Abraham
goes until he has God sparing Sodom and Gomorrah for but 10
righteous. Our Jewish brothers and sisters knew how to spin
a teaching tale far better than our dear friend Paul who tends
to teach through sometimes ponderous theological arguments.
Happily, Jesus followed in the tradition of his people.
What delights me about the Abrahamic story is how reflective
it is of Middle Eastern culture. Bargaining is fun and probably
a better way to do commerce. On one of my recent trips to Israel
and the Palestinian territories, I was taught by a master how
to successfully get what I want. I have a favorite shop in the
old city, owned by Palestinians, that has a spectacular collection
of icons. I had gotten to know the owner quite well and a visit
there never took less than an hour or two. Tea had to be served
and we had to discuss his family, my family, conditions under
the occupation, where I had been, what I had seen, the current
weather. Bit by bit, we eased into a discussion and display
of Joseph’s icons, each one displayed with loving care
and an almost inaudible mention of its worth. In one such visit,
I found a Russian icon, over two hundred years old, which I
instantly coveted. I had learned enough from Joseph and others
to feign disinterest, but I’m sure he saw the glint in
my eyes. I quickly said that the price was far beyond my pocketbook.
But I wanted that icon and knew I would have to be wise and
persistent to obtain it at a reasonable price.
Four visits later, each time displaying a little more interest
in the icon, with Joseph saying, “Well, perhaps I could
let it go for a little less ….” and me saying, “Oh,
I still don’t think I can afford it” we got to the
moment when I said, “Joseph, I want that icon and I want
you to give it to me for so many shekels.” It took one
more visit and, finally, Joseph said, “Cotton, no one
loves my icons more than you. I give it to you at your price
because you are my friend and you will treasure it”. (It
was undoubtedly the price he had in mind all along.) We celebrated
with more tea and a new round of those delicious Palestinian
pastries.
The point of the Abrahamic story is not just the depths of
God’s mercy, but the passion and persistence of Abraham.
In the Gospel for today the disciples ask Jesus to teach them
to pray. And he responds, “Father, hallowed by thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread; and forgive
us our sins, for we ourselves forgive every one who is indebted
to us; and lead us not into temptation.” And then Jesus
launches into his teaching … “Which of you has a
friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, lend me three
loaves….? You know the story. Would he say “do not
bother me?” No, Jesus says, not just because he is your
friend, but because of your importunity, your pleading, your
demanding, your persistence. “And I tell you, Ask, and
it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it
will be opened to you. “For every one who asks, receives,
and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”
Quite a promise.
Now I’m not suggesting to the young people in the congregation
that all it will take to get your parents to let you stay out
an extra hour in the evening is persistence, continuous pleading.
Although parents sometimes do succumb to that kind of pleading
just to get some peace. And they probably should, instead, hold
the line and maintain the curfew. But, if we stay with that
example, if you are passionate about that concert, if the concert
is really that important to you and you really want to go, maybe
your importunity, your pleading, will lead to a discussion of
the safety factors at the concert and the nature of the other
kids going with you and the probability of drugs or alcohol
being there and just how you are going to remain safe. Things
you hadn’t thought about. So maybe the pleading will change
you just as it may change your parents.
I am convinced that we – I – am not passionate
enough in my asking, in my praying, in my petitioning. How much,
for instance, do I really want God’s Kingdom to come,
God’s reign of peace and justice? If it were to come,
would I be as well off financially? Probably not. Your rector’s
email, as most of you probably know, has a tack on at the end
which lists just how many people in the world are starving,
how many children are dying. When he sent me the bulletins for
today, I emailed him back that his wishing me peace when he
signed off felt a little insincere since he followed that with
reminding me of my privilege and the lack of privilege of the
rest of the world. Some peace, I told him. He responded quite
appropriately and with characteristic humor, reminding me that
God’s peace is no peace … meaning it is a very different
kind of peace than being guilt free. If I am really passionate
about inviting God’s reign in my life and my world, some
things are going to have to change. The point is that with a
little passion inserted in our praying it changes us. Yearning
for God’s reign in my world means I cannot stay the same.
My priorities are challenged, my stewardship is challenged,
and my favorite resentments are challenged. I am challenged
to change and grow.
It may be theological heresy, but I am not at all sure my praying
changes anything in God. But I am sure it changes me. It makes
me more receptive; it widens and deepens my vision; it makes
me less sure of some things; more sure of others.
Where has our spiritual passion gone? I suspect it has gone
the way of our faith. Diluted; rationalized; neatly stored in
some mental compartment. It was never meant to be that way.
It was meant to form a framework for all of life, not just the
little segment we call religion. George has told me of his enthusiasm
and hopefulness for this congregation, that there is some grace
as well as some passion around here. I commend you. But just
for the sake of a little shaking up, the next time you pray
our Lord’s prayer, begin with a little meditation summoning
up the elements in your life about which you are truly passionate,
then say the prayer very slowly, very thoughtfully. Think how
some of those passions inform your prayer and how your prayer
may inform your passions. And maybe, little bit by little bit,
the reign of God will gain ground in our lives. Amen.
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