THE BAA PRAYER

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is “The Baa Prayer.”

As I read today’s readings for the feast of the Chair of St. Peter, February 22, that’s the thought that hit me.

“The Baa Prayer.”

Now you never heard of this before, because I just made this up last night – and I risk the comment, “Now what was that all about?”

However, in the 2000 year history of Christianity – or 4000-3500 years of Israel's history – I’m sure someone came up with “The Baa Prayer”, but I never heard of it.

WHAT IS IT?

It’s simply the cry of the sheep: “Baaaaah!”

It’s the “Baa!” of the sheep when it’s lost.It’s the “Baa!” of the sheep when it’s hungry.

It’s the “Baa!” of the sheep when it’s all alone!

It’s the “Baa” of the sheep to let other sheep know, “Hey, I’m here!”

It’s the “Baaa!” of the sheep when it’s being led to the slaughter.

PRAY 

So when you’re feeling all alone – lost – hungry – or you just want to say to God, “I’m here” or when everything in you life seems be slaughtered, pray “Baa!”, scream “Baa!”, yell, “Baa!” out to God.

That’s “The Baa! Prayer.”

Image taking a rosary and making 59 “Baas” on the beads.

I tried it last night with a timer and a pair or rosary beads. 59 “Baas” took 2 minutes. I was looking at an image, an ikon, of Jesus on my wall while doing it – looking Jesus right in the eye.

Besides saying, “Baa” – I could hear Jesus saying, “What’s wrong with you? What are you doing? What’s this?”

I began thinking that God must hear a million prayers per minute, but this “Baa Prayer” might catch him off guard – and might give us a double listening.

“Baa! Baa!”

But now that I have let the sheep out of the bag, maybe if enough of us do this, maybe it will become old hat for God.

SCRIPTURES

Maybe and maybe not.

One of the most basic images for God in both the Jewish and Christian Scriptures is that of the “Shepherd!” Notice we said Psalm 23 today, “The Lord is my Shepherd.”

In today’s gospel Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” Nobody gives the answer, “The Good Shepherd” not even John – but in his Gospel he does.

And one of the first and most primitive images for Christians of Jesus in wall scratching and art and prayer was that of the Shepherd.

Why? Because that’s what Jesus was – a Good Shepherd. He told several stories – parables – with shepherd and sheep as the central metaphor and message.

And he called Peter to be the chief shepherd – and we see that in today’s first reading from 1st Peter.

CONCLUSION

So today, when you’re alone, when you’re out of ear shot, say, “The Baa Prayer” to God and see what happens.

I also thought maybe I should write a story about “The Baa Prayer” and one of the scenes would be someone coming into the back of church one morning and there are about 25 people sitting there together with rosary in hand moaning, “Baa, Baa, Baa!” for 2 minutes. Wouldn’t that be interesting?

Would the person say, “Baa! What’s this? Am I in the wrong church?”

“Baa! No!”

This was a weekday homily for the feast of "The Chair of Peter, Apostle." Someone after Mass made the astute observation, "Be careful with that word "Baa!" It's very close to the word, 'Baal' - one of the so called 'gods' that Israel's prophets spoke against." Never thought of that!