17th Sunday of Ordinary Time
II World Day for Grandparents and Seniors
Sunday, July 24, 2022

First Reading:  Genesis 18:2-32
Psalm #138: R. On the day I called, O Lord, you answered me. 
Second Reading:  Colossians 2:12-14
Gospel Acclamation Verse: You have received a spirit of adoption, in who we cry Abba! Father!
Gospel:  Luke 11:1-13
Theme:  Ask and it will be given; search and you will find; knock and the door will be opened.

Commentary by Jane Prini

  In today’s gospel we start with Jesus praying and his disciples wanting to lean how to pray. Jesus teaches them what we call “The Lord’s Prayer”. It begins with ‘Our Father who art in heaven’; Jesus wants us to call God, Father because we can rely on God the Father to always give us want we need. We continue with ‘Hallowed by thy name’; showing that we know God’s name to be holy and that it needs to be used only to praise or call on him. This prayer is our praise to God, or a reminder to ourselves of how we are to behave as children of God, asking for God’s continued protection from the evil around us, and praising him for his assistance. See below for the full prayer.

Jesus then teaches how to keep praying until something happens. He explains this using a story/a parable. A man has a friend visiting and needs to borrow some bread from his neighbour to feed his visitor who arrived late. His neighbour at first does not want to help but the constant knocking and asking is loud, disturbing other families, so he gets out of bed to help the man. Other neighbours will praise him for helping the man.

Jesus uses this story to tell his friends and us, to knock on God’s door by asking for what you need. He says, "Everyone who asks will get what he asks for. Everyone who looks will find what he is looking for. Everyone who knocks will have the door opened to him.” God’s glory is seen when prayers are answered.

Remember that Jesus has taught us to address God as Father. A loving Father listens to the child, but does not blindly agree to every request. To do so would please the child in the short-run, but would lead to trouble in the long-run. Instead, the loving Father provides what is needed, including limits and discipline. We can depend on our Heavenly Father to respond even more so to our requests.
God knows what we need, has a plan for each one of us and loves us more than we can image. He wants us to talk with him, to always seek him out, to ask for help with our friendships and families and to keep asking until we get an answer. Sometimes, like when we ask our parents or grandparents, it will be ‘not right now’ or ‘no’ or ‘yes’. Jesus reminds us that we can trust God to hear us and to do what is best for us. 

This Sunday is the Second World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly. Grandparents pray for their children and grandchildren. Many have wonderful stories to share about how God has helped them in their life. Take time to connect with a grandparent or elderly person and listen to that wisdom. Let them know you like being with them.

Prayer for Families: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name; thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. AMEN.

Discussion starters: (Choose one or more of these after reading today’s scripture readings)

1. Share a time when your prayer was answered, how you felt and how prayer helped you through while you waited for the answer.
2. Choose at least one activity from the next page to help remember this gospel reading. 

Family Activities, Colouring Page, Cross Word Puzzle and Word Search: Pages 2-5
Resources used for inspiration in this post:  Holy Heroes, Sermon writer, Sermons4Kids

CLICK, READ MORE FOR FAMILY RESOURCES, Colouring Page, Cross Word Puzzle and Word Search
 

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