Prayer - the Art of Slowing Down

Twenty Ninth Ordinary Sunday Year C

What time is the most suitable time? For many of us, the present time is the best time. No point waiting. We want things to happen now. Not tomorrow. Not next month. Not next year. No. Now! And so we hate to wait. We become impatient with others. We become impatient with ourselves. We become impatient with God. We ask ourselves: “Why must we wait? Why can’t it happen now?”

Today’s society demands for faster computers, faster internet, faster modes of transportation, fast food, short educational courses – Fast, Fast. What we may have been used to 5 or 10 years ago is not enough. Things become obsolete at a frightening pace.

Perhaps, we have forgotten what it means to wait, to waste time, to spend time with the people we love – to spend time with our friends – to spend time with God. We must relearn the art of slowing down. In prayer, we are forced to slow down. There is no quick or easy prayer. Prayer always requires time because conversion requires time.

Today’s readings teach us about prayer and perseverance. We must learn patience from our prayer life. We must continue praying even when we become tired of waiting for an answer from God. The reason for this is very simple: without prayer, giving up will be extremely easy. In the face of problems, disappointments and set-backs, we have more than enough reason to call it quits.

Prayer sustains our faith and faith brings hope. The hope that comes from faith allows us to trust God and believe that he will not abandon us. He will answer us in his own time and in his own way. Prayer allows us to cherish the time we have with God and with others. It reminds us again and again that we are not in control of our lives. In a world of fast food, fast computers, fast production lines in the factories, we have certainly lost control of our lives to all these things. We have become slaves to this way of life. Prayer allows us to take back control over our lives and to allow God to take control of our lives. Only in God can we find true freedom.

Some of you today may feel like giving up. Like Moses in the first reading, some of you may feel so tired with holding your hands up in prayer – persevering in prayer – and you feel that you just want to take a break. Some of you may be experiencing trials, problems, worries for so long that you feel that praying is useless and does not make any difference in your life. But the message of the gospel for you today is: Be patient! Wait for the Lord, for the Lord will come indeed! You may not be able to see or predict what’s going to happen in the future. Tomorrow may appear to be the same as today. But your patience and perseverance will be rewarded. God will surely answer us, but in his own time and in his own way.

We are fast approaching the end of the year. Have we taken time to be with our family and loved ones? Or have we been so busy with so many things in our life that there is no longer time for family, friends or God? During this Mass, let us pray for the ability to be able to slow down so that we can cherish the things that truly matter.