IT TAKES TWO TO PRAY! 

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INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this Saturday in the Third Week of Lent is, “It Takes Two To Pray!” 

At least 2.

TODAY’S GOSPEL

If you want to grow in prayer one of the parables of Jesus to take into prayer is Luke 18:9-14 - the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. We just heard it read again today.

If we like to pray here or in the Eucharistic chapel, pray with Luke 18:9-14. Jesus will get into our mind and challenge us big time about prayer with this parable.  If we like to pray at home with the Bible, don’t forget the Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican.

For starters the Pharisee is not praying. He’s one person show. Jesus shocks people with that truth. The Pharisee is all I, I, I, I, I, I.  I do this. I do this. I do that. And I don’t do that, that, and that.

Then Jesus talks about a second person in the parable, but it’s not God. It’s the Sinner, the publican, the tax collector, he must have spotted in the back of the temple on his way up front to be seen.

Joachim Jeremias in his book on The Parables of Jesus tells of a first century prayer AD that was found in the Talmud. Just listen to how familiar it is with the prayer of the Pharisee.[page 142]

“I thank you, O Lord, my God,

that you have given me my lot

with those who sit in the seat of learning,

and not with those  who sit at the street-corners.

I am early to work and they are early to work;

I am early to work on the words of the Torah,

and they are early to work on things of no moment.
I weary myself, and they weary themselves.
I weary myself and profit as a result,

while they weary themselves to no profit.

I run and they run;

I run towards the life of the Age to Come,

and they run towards the pit of destruction.”

How do we pray? Are we all alone in the temple of our brain - inwardly complaining about others in church - or inwardly giving ourselves all the glory.

So today’s gospel is a key parable to pray with if we want to grow in our prayer life.

Jesus uses a parable and he uses comparison to get us thinking.

The title of my homily is, “It Takes Two To Pray!”

The man in the back, the sinner, the publican, is aware of God being present - and he has a profound humility of himself in comparison.

I don’t know about you, but when I’m saying Mass I have to catch myself - not babbling, not reciting, not parroting, not being in the presence of God - but only myself.

CONVERSATION

It takes two to pray. It takes two to have a conversation. We all have been in conversations when the other is not talking to us - but talking at us - building herself or himself up - complaining about others - and the obvious message is: I’m better than these people. We know the feeling.

It’s deadly when a priest in the pulpit looks at his watch. It seems he’s just reciting his words to an empty church. It’s the same in conversations - when someone peeks at their watch  - and we sense they giving speeches at us - or talking to themselves.

CONCLUSION

Jesus is saying: “Hello! This happens in prayer.” So when praying begin with a few moments of quiet - Realize we’re with another - God. Hear God’s “Hello” before we announce ours. Amen. 



* Painting on top: Le pharisien et le publican - the Pharisee and the Publican [1886-1891] by James Tissot [1836-1902] - Brooklyn Museum