C - Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Recently I have been recalling memories of my childhood. Little things from 55 or more years ago emerge from my memory banks. I recall the feeling that Sunday had, which was quite different from the rest of the week. The shops were closed; there was little to no traffic – it was quiet and calm, though we lived on a very busy street. I remember that on occasion the Salvation Army would march down the middle of the road with the brass band playing, cymbals crashing, and drums beating, while cars slowly followed behind. I recall the beer delivery to the pub opposite to where we lived. I loved watching the men roll beer barrels down a ramp into an open hatchway in the sidewalk. I also recall that on occasion, when we walked to town, there was a man with a large sign donned like a vest. On one side it read, “repent” and the other side was written, “for the wages of sin is death”. The older I become, the clearer the truth of these messages resonates.

In our first reading we hear about the impending judgement that is to befall Sodom for its sin. For the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah was so grave and serious that God would send two angels to see if what was said of Sodom would justify its destruction. Knowing what these two angels would see and confirm, Abraham made his intercessory prayers to dissuade God from his just judgement. We learn a lot about Abraham in this short passage, about his leadership role, his compassion, his sense of fairness and justice, his love for his family – for Lot his nephew lived in Sodom, and about his relationship with God. You can say that Abraham, fearlessly, and with determination pressed God to be merciful. And this he was able to do because of his faithful, though not faultless, relationship with the Lord.

The power of baptism brings us into the same relationship with God, and it gives us similar Abrahamic powers. And these powers Jesus himself affirms and encourages us to exercise. For God is not a power out there to which we are subject, as if to the wiles and whims of an impersonal force. Jesus tells us we can call God as He does, as Father. For that which separates man from an all-powerful God, is brought into an intimate relationship by way of the cross and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, as we read in Paul’s letter to the Colossians.

The consequence of sin is death; the extinguishing of life, yet with faith in the power of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, this just sentence is obliterated. As Paul writes, the legal claim opposed to our life is removed from our midst and nailed to the cross.

For us here and today, we are subject, not to a death sentence but to the love and mercy of a Father who wants to give good things to those who love him. Not a snake, nor a scorpion, but profound graces and holy gifts. But what is it that we ask for; what are the requests we make to our heavenly Father? In the days I was watching the Salvation Army march down our street, and the beer barrels rolling down the ramp, I remember asking God for many things, but one of them was a bicycle. It took a while asking but finally, I did get one. And for this I gave him thanks. We can together laugh at that request since it was childish, yet sometimes, we all ask for childish things. Yet we are clearly told what it is we are to ask for, for what it is we are to seek, and for what it is we are to knock for. Buried in the gospel reading today is this line, “how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?" 

The Holy Spirit is what you and I should be asking for. And it is by way of the Holy Spirit, that we can ask for truly big things, just as Abraham did – remember he wanted to save two cities filled with men, woman and children. My friends ask for the big things, the profound things in life. Ask for the Holy Spirit for he brings with him, spiritual gifts such as wisdom, knowledge, faith; he brings to us gifts of conviction, of fearlessness, and comfort in times of need. He brings us transformation and healing. He brings us intimacy with God, which is real, deep, extremely personal, profound, and revealing. As we read in the gospel, we are to ask for the right things and to ask them with persistence. We can and must approach God our Father frequently and with persistence for our spiritual welfare and development, because by this all things are won and nothing of true value is lost. But this activity is not just a spectator sport, for the Spirit reveals and empowers but does not replace our responsibility to make the effort, to ask, seek and knock. We must take the steps of the journey to reach the gates of heaven. This journey is neither easy, pain free, nor without many challenges. But we are promised victory if we persevere in faith. As you make this once in a lifetime journey with its tribulations, difficulties, pain, challenges, and yes, its hopes, joys, and visions, be encouraged by the words of Psalm 37, “The steps of the godly are directed by the Lord. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will not fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand (Ps 37:23-24). Bicycles are fun, hearing the marching band is grand, reliving old memories is happily nostalgic, but life in the Spirit is everything, so ask, seek, and knock for your father is listening and waiting to give you good gifts. These good things may be epic in size and importance, or small and of no clear importance to anyone but you. But to God our Father, He delights in every detail of our lives.

Deacon Peter Bujwid
St. Agnes Church, Arlington, Massachusetts
Sunday 27th July 2025