Friday - 1st Week of OT 2018 - The grace of unanswered prayer

Just a few days ago we were reading the story of Samuel’s birth. Samuel served as a judge of Israel, making a yearly circuit throughout the nation. Under Samuel’s guidance, Israel began to root out idolatry, many returned to the ways of righteousness, Israel prospered. But then the sad reality hit: the faithful and useful judge grows old and unfit for service.

And so the elders of Israel gather to petition Samuel to ask God to appoint a king to rule over them. Now that sounds like a reasonable request. After all, God had promised to Abraham that Israel would become a glorious and royal kingdom.

But, again, Israel has missed the mark. They wanted a king, not to help them become more faithful to God; they wanted a king because all the other nations had kings. They didn’t want to be more heavenly; they wanted to be more earthly. They were not concerned if it was God’s will that they have a king; they wanted things on their terms, on their time, not God’s.

So, God gave them what they wished for. And for the most part, the king’s of Israel were more curse than blessing. The kings are going to end up taking much more than they give. Under the Kings of Israel, we are going to see the people fall back into idolatry, worse than ever, we are going to see Israel conquered by Assyrians and Babylonians; we are going to see 10 of the 12 tribes of Israel wiped out forever.

God often does not answer our prayers exactly as we would like, at the time we would like, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. If the answer to a prayer would in the end bring us spiritual ruin, it’s a grace that the prayer goes unanswered. The Letter of St. James takes up this matter when it says, “You ask and you do not receive because you ask wrongly, with a view to squandering what you receive on your pleasures."

For Israel, it would have gone a lot better, if, at the time of Samuel’s retirement, Israel turned to God, and said, “Okay God, now what? What is your will for us? Send us a leader to help us to be holy.” And similarly for us, at the heart of the prayer the Lord Jesus teaches us are the words, “thy will be done.” The surrender to God’s will needs to undergird every petition we make, every decision we make, that not our will, but God’s will we done, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
 
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That all members of the Church may live out their baptismal call with greater conviction and faithfulness.

That those in civic authority may submit their minds and hearts to the rule of Christ, the Prince of Peace and Hope of the nations.

For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, the underemployed and unemployed, immigrants and refugees, victims of natural disaster, war, and terrorism, for all those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, for their comfort, and the consolation of their families.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord