Jul
5

(XVII Sunday — C) When You Pray (Luke 11:1-13)

prayer2

Luke is the evangelist who emphasizes prayer. He not only modifies his materials so as to bring out the importance of prayer in Jesus’ life, he also adds materials that illustrate how one should pray. For this Sunday, we are given a taste of this particular characteristic of the Lucan gospel. Upon the request of his disciples, Jesus teaches them what to pray, how and why. They are to pray his own prayer, addressing God as "Abba"; they should pray with persistence because there is no father better than the Abba.

Relevant Articles

Guide to the Reading of Luke 11:1-13

1. Compare the prayer in Luke 11:1-4 to Matthew 6:9-13. Look for similarities and differences.
2. Luke 11:5-8 is a parable on impertinence applied to prayer. The key to the parable is in verse 8, the second part of which is rendered differently in some translations:

Bible in Basic English
I say to you, Though he will not get up and give to him, because he is his friend, still, if he keeps on making his request, he will get up and give him as much as he has need of.
Darby’s English Translation
I say to you, Although he will not get up and give them to him because he is his friend, because of his shamelessness, at any rate, he will rise and give him as many as he wants.
World English Bible
I tell you, although he will not rise and give it to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence, he will get up and give him as many as he needs.
New International Version
I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man’s boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
New American Bible
I tell you, if he does not get up to give the visitor the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence.

3. Luke 11:9-13 is paralleled by Matthew 6:7-11. Note that here, Luke substitutes "Holy Spirit" for Matthew’s "good things." One can take the change to mean:

(a) The Holy Spirit is all that one needs; or
(b) Luke changes the wording and turns the statement into an answer to the question as to whether it is proper for anyone to ask for the Holy Spirit. Note that this possibility does not affect one’s understanding of the saying in Matthew.

Review of the Readings

In Genesis 18:20-32, we find the example of Abraham interceding for Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham is like one who bids before a trader asking for a lower price for a good to be purchased. He does not stop until he gets the lowest price possible. In the case of Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham succeeds in lowering the number of just men to ten for the condemned cities to be spared. Abraham’s persistence — nay, shamelessness — in increasing the possibility for Sodom and Gomorrah to be saved is not different from the friend in the Jesus’ parable who asks for bread in the middle of the night. "Shameless persistence" — kakulitan, in Filipino — is highly recommended as a quality in prayer, especially since one prays to the "Abba".

In Colossians 2:12-14, Paul describes the life of the Christian using participles with the prefix "syn": buried with Christ, resurrected with Christ and brought to life with Christ. In other words, the Christian has been associated so closely with Christ in baptism that the Christian life can also be described as "being-with-Christ." Thus, by baptism, the Christian too shares in the primacy of Christ already depicted in the hymn of 1:15-20 and actualized for him in a life united to Christ in the baptism. See more here.

Suggestions for the Lesson

1. The gospel theme can be an occassion for a brief catechesis on the Our Father. In Luke’s version, the prayer is made up of the vocative "Father" and five imperatival clauses. "Father" here, is the Aramaic "Abba", a title of endearment that Jesus uses of God and is very unique to Him. Jesus wants His disciples to address God in the same way that he does. The first two imperatives are related to the carrying out of God’s will; the second group of three imperatives are for the disciples’ daily life.

2. The reading from Colossians 2:12-14 can also be used for a catechism on baptism and the status of the Christian as child of God. This second possibility then can also become a launch pad for addressing the Father as "Abba". From here, there is a natural link to the Lord’s prayer.

Colossians 2:12-14
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg Greek
12Buried with him in baptism, in whom also you are risen again by the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him up from the dead.
13And you, when you were dead in your sins, and the uncircumcision of your flesh; he hath quickened together with him, forgiving you all offences:
14Blotting out the handwriting of the decree that was against us, which was contrary to us. And he hath taken the same out of the way, fastening it to the cross:
Colossians 2:6-19
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg Greek
6As therefore you have received Jesus Christ the Lord, walk ye in him;
7Rooted and built up in him, and confirmed in the faith, as also you have learned, abounding in him in thanksgiving.
8Beware lest any man cheat you by philosophy, and vain deceit; according to the tradition of men, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ:
9For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead corporeally;
10And you are filled in him, who is the head of all principality and power:
11In whom also you are circumcised with circumcision not made by hand, in despoiling of the body of the flesh, but in the circumcision of Christ:
12Buried with him in baptism, in whom also you are risen again by the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him up from the dead.
13And you, when you were dead in your sins, and the uncircumcision of your flesh; he hath quickened together with him, forgiving you all offences:
14Blotting out the handwriting of the decree that was against us, which was contrary to us. And he hath taken the same out of the way, fastening it to the cross:
15And despoiling the principalities and powers, he hath exposed them confidently in open shew, triumphing over them in himself.
16Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink, or in respect of a festival day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbaths,
17Which are a shadow of things to come, but the body is of Christ.
18Let no man seduce you, willing in humility, and religion of angels, walking in the things which he hath not seen, in vain puffed up by the sense of his flesh,
19And not holding the head, from which the whole body, by joints and bands, being supplied with nourishment and compacted, groweth unto the increase of God.
Luke 11:1-13
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg Greek
1And it came to pass, that as he was in a certain place praying, when he ceased, one of his disciples said to him: Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.
2And he said to them: When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come.
3Give us this day our daily bread.
4And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.
5And he said to them: Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go to him at midnight, and shall say to him: Friend, lend me three loaves,
6Because a friend of mine is come off his journey to me, and I have not what to set before him.
7And he from within should answer, and say: Trouble me not, the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.
8Yet if he shall continue knocking, I say to you, although he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend; yet, because of his importunity, he will rise, and give him as many as he needeth.
9And I say to you, Ask, and it shall be given you: seek, and you shall find: knock, and it shall be opened to you.
10For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.
11And which of you, if he ask his father bread, will he give him a stone? or a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?
12Or if he shall ask an egg, will he reach him a scorpion?
13If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father from heaven give the good Spirit to them that ask him?
Luke 11:1-4
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg Greek
1And it came to pass, that as he was in a certain place praying, when he ceased, one of his disciples said to him: Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.
2And he said to them: When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come.
3Give us this day our daily bread.
4And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.
Matthew 6:9-13
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg Greek
9Thus therefore shall you pray: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
10Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
11Give us this day our supersubstantial bread.
12And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.
13And lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil. Amen.
Luke 11:5-8
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg Greek
5And he said to them: Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go to him at midnight, and shall say to him: Friend, lend me three loaves,
6Because a friend of mine is come off his journey to me, and I have not what to set before him.
7And he from within should answer, and say: Trouble me not, the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.
8Yet if he shall continue knocking, I say to you, although he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend; yet, because of his importunity, he will rise, and give him as many as he needeth.
Luke 11:9-13
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg Greek
9And I say to you, Ask, and it shall be given you: seek, and you shall find: knock, and it shall be opened to you.
10For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.
11And which of you, if he ask his father bread, will he give him a stone? or a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?
12Or if he shall ask an egg, will he reach him a scorpion?
13If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father from heaven give the good Spirit to them that ask him?
Matthew 6:7-11
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg Greek
7And when you are praying, speak not much, as the heathens. For they think that in their much speaking they may be heard.
8Be not you therefore like to them, for your Father knoweth what is needful for you, before you ask him.
9Thus therefore shall you pray: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
10Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
11Give us this day our supersubstantial bread.
Genesis 18:20-32
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg LXX Hebrew
20And the Lord said: The cry of Sodom and Gomorrha is multiplied, and their sin is become exceedingly grievous.
21I will go down and see whether they have done according to the cry that is come to me: or whether it be not so, that I may know.
22And they turned themselves from thence, and went their way to Sodom: but Abraham as yet stood before the Lord.
23And drawing nigh he said: Wilt thou destroy the just with the wicked?
24If there be fifty just men in the city, shall they perish withal? and wilt thou not spare that place for the sake of the fifty just, if they be therein?
25Far be it from thee to do this thing, and to slay the just with the wicked, and for the just to be in like case as the wicked, this is not beseeming thee: thou who judgest all the earth, wilt not make this judgment.
26And the Lord said to him: If I find in Sodom fifty just within the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.
27And Abraham answered, and said: Seeing I have once begun, I will speak to my Lord, whereas I am dust and ashes.
28What if there be five less than fifty just persons? wilt thou for five and forty destroy the whole city? And he said: I will not destroy it, if I find five and forty.
29And again he said to him: But if forty be found there, what wilt thou do? He said: I will not destroy it for the sake of forty.
30Lord, saith he, be not angry, I beseech thee, if I speak: What if thirty shall be found there? He answered: I will not do it, if I find thirty there.
31Seeing, saith he, I have once begun, I will speak to my Lord. What if twenty be found there? He said: I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty.
32I beseech thee, saith he, be not angry, Lord, if I speak yet once more: What if ten should be found there? And he said: I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.
Colossians 2:12-14
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg Greek
12Buried with him in baptism, in whom also you are risen again by the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him up from the dead.
13And you, when you were dead in your sins, and the uncircumcision of your flesh; he hath quickened together with him, forgiving you all offences:
14Blotting out the handwriting of the decree that was against us, which was contrary to us. And he hath taken the same out of the way, fastening it to the cross:
Colossians 2:12-14
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg Greek
12Buried with him in baptism, in whom also you are risen again by the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him up from the dead.
13And you, when you were dead in your sins, and the uncircumcision of your flesh; he hath quickened together with him, forgiving you all offences:
14Blotting out the handwriting of the decree that was against us, which was contrary to us. And he hath taken the same out of the way, fastening it to the cross:

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