29th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Luke 18:1-8
Seneca, who was the philosopher advisor to the Roman emperor, Nero, once wrote that a spoiled child “the one to whom nothing was refused, whose tears were always wiped away by an anxious mother, will not abide being offended”.
The spoiled child is always asking and then, for more and more. The spoiled child expects to get whatever he wants and expects it NOW! He takes everything for granted, he has a right to everything! Of course, this does not augur well for the future. It is not good preparation for dealing with others, with society or for forming any good relationship.
In our world today people more and more expect immediate response to their every need. The value of waiting and patience has been lost. The experience of living ‘without’ is regarded as negative and damaging. Patience is a virtue and patience is exercised only when we have the experience of waiting. Patient waiting gives us the opportunity to observe – to observe our real needs, our already-received gifts, the needs and desires of others and the trustworthiness and kindness of those who care and provide for us.
The child comes to appreciate that the good parent does provide even without being asked. The good parent is one who discerns what is beneficial, what is necessary and what gives growth.
Christians believe in God as Father, Parent. Very often we seem to act like spoiled children: asking, presuming, expecting what we take for granted.
Why does God delay? If we received without delay, would we walk away humanly satisfied and unaware of the one who gifted us? If we have to wait would we not benefit from being in the presence of God and noticing how we are cared for and loved? Time spent in the presence of the Provider helps us to understand what is behind the gift: the love, the care, the concern, the protection, the personal interest, the affection, behind what is given.
The spoiled child typically does not give thanks, but the one who waits learns just how much is given and with what love. The result of such experience is the return of gratitude. When we experience waiting in the presence of God, we cannot but be led into Thanksgiving. Meister Eckhart taught “If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is ‘Thank You’ it will be enough”.
It is what Pope Saint John Paul ll called “the art of prayer”. In his Apostolic Letter at the beginning of the Millennium he said that what the world needed was Christians whose lives were “distinguished above all in the Art of Prayer”. Again, Pope John Paul went on to say that Contemplative Prayer was “above all, remembering”. If we dare to remember what we have been given, how we have been redeemed, the promises made to us, we can do little else but give thanks.
“Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all the spiritual blessings of heaven in Christ” (Eph 1:3)