Newsletter for Sunday 23 October 2016

21 Oct

THIRTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

For the past three weeks, the liturgy of the word has been prompting us to review our prayer lives.  If we refer to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (numbers 2559ff ) we read there:

‘Prayer is the raising of one’s mind and heart to God  or the requesting of good things from God.’ (St John Damascene, De fide orth)

But when we pray do we speak from the height of our pride and will, or ‘out of the depths’ of a humble and contrite heart? (see Ps 130)   For the person who humbles himself will be exalted; (see Lk18:9-14)  Humility is the foundation of prayer. “O God, be merciful to me – the sinner”, prays the contrite tax collector.  This utter humility of his is what made him at rights with God.  And this is the message of today’s parable: It’s a lesson on humility, honesty, repentance and openness, and is what Jesus wants of us! And notice the context of that man’s humility, honesty, repentance and openness: it’s prayer!  –  That act by which we come before God with the totality of our lives and making ourselves vulnerable to his gracious mercy. (see Eccles 35: 16).

Let us pray!!

Fr Philip Sainter

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