主題：主，教我們祈禱
祈禱是基督徒生活的一部份。不祈禱的，算不上是一個基督徒。
今天的第一篇讀經，記載了亞巴郎和天主議價的過程，讀來直是令人拍案叫絕。這個人與神之間的議價過程，不就是一個祈禱嗎？原來我們所信的天主是如此大方，我們這些卑微的受造物，竟然可以和祂議價，真令人興奮。但為甚麼亞巴郎會為兩座罪惡之城向天主求情呢？我們不可不知，亞巴郎並不完全是無私地為別人的益處與天主議價的，因為當時他的惟一繼承人，就是他的侄子羅特，正住在索多瑪城中。
福音中，耶穌不是說過，在我們祈禱之前，天父已知曉我們一切的要求嗎（瑪6:8）？因此，為甚麼還要祈禱呢？除了實踐信望愛三德之外，亞巴郎的故事告訴我們，透過祈禱，我們加深了對天主和對自己的認識。沒有這次祈禱，我們沒有機會認識到天主是何等寬宏大量，天主的公義之中，亦有祂慈悲的一面。認識到我們是可以與天主議價的，當然，我們不得不謙遜承認，我們無論如何議價，頂多祗能佔點小便宜。沒有這次祈禱，亞巴郎沒有機會認識到自己的底線（十個義人，事後孔明的我們可能取笑亞巴郎為何不要求祗有一個義人。）、認識到自己的私心，以後便更能感激天主賜他親生兒子的喜樂。
今天福音中比喻中的主角，和亞巴郎一樣，為自己朋友的需要，鍥而不捨地求，天主應允了。我們生活中，誰沒有親友捱受過疾病的煎熬呢？我們會應該怎樣祈求呢？長期病患，令病人及其家人，承受著肉體上、金錢上、情緒上和關係上的壓力。不是一個人的苦，而且一組人不同程度上的痛苦。很自然，我們會祈求天主使病者痊癒。但執事大膽說，這樣求是低層次的祈求，甚至是錯誤的祈求。這種祈禱雖然表現到我們的愛德，但缺乏了信德和望德。這話怎說？
首先，我們是啥？我們竟指導天主怎樣做事！我們相信自己的判斷，多於相信天主。是缺乏信德的表現。
各位兄弟姊妹，不要灰心，放膽祈禱吧，而且要進一步求聖神幫助我們祈禱。
根據著聖經的啟示，和經過了二千年的生活經驗，教會發展出幾種祈禱的形式。包括了為自己的需要「求恩」；為獲得天主的俯聽，或者沒有祈求而獲得的祝福，向天主「感恩」，為別人的需要作出「轉求」；最後，為天主所作的一切「讚頌」祂。我說：「不祈禱，算不上是一個基督徒。」為自己的需要求恩，是最自然不過的事；為遠方的人，為煉獄的靈魂與及為我們力有不逮的人祈求時，而且不是向黃大仙，向觀世音求恩，是向耶穌的天父求恩，這不就是「信德」的表現嗎？在受委屈、受痛苦時，仍是耐心期待上主的諾言實現，這不是「望德」的表現嗎？為自己的需要、為別人的需要祈禱，這不是「愛德」的表現嗎？祈禱能實踐信望愛三德，而信望愛三德又是基督德的標記，不祈禱，算得上是基督徒嗎？
其次，痛苦是一種祝福。當我們生活在安樂窩久了，很容易自我中心，忘記了別人的需要，忘記了天主。所以，天主賜與我們一點兒痛苦，喚醒我們，甚至把我們從安樂窩中趕出來，給我們機會成長。當我們安好的時候，身邊的人不用擔心掛念。當我們受苦的時候，身邊的親友便會醒來，對我們關懷…所以，痛苦是天主的恩賜。天主在適當的時候，自會照顧。我們強求痊癒，是忘記了天主的承諾，是缺乏望德的表現。
最後，我們應該怎樣祈求呢？在福音中最後的一節，我們可以找到答案。對了。我們應該求天父賜與聖神，就是天主的力量，三位一體的天主自己，與病者一起捱過痛苦的歲月。把我們的痛苦，結合到聖子救世的痛苦之中，是何等的榮幸。
此外，我們也應當為自己向天父祈求賜與聖神，因為保祿宗徒教導說：「因為我們不知道我們如何祈求纔對，而聖神卻親自以無可言喻的歎息，代我們轉求…因為祂是按照天主的旨意代聖徒轉求。」（羅8:26-27）我們求而不得，是因為我們求的不當（雅4:3），我們沒有按天主的旨意祈求。
天主保祐。
Seventeenth Ordinary Sunday, Year C
Theme: Lord, teach us to pray
Prayer is an essential part of Christian life. Without prayer, one cannot be counted a Christian.
The first reading today tells us the story of Abraham bargaining with God. It was an amazing story. Was not this bargaining process between God and man a prayer? It is truly surprising to discover that the God we believe in is so generous. We are only negligible creatures. How exciting it is that we may bargain with our Creator! But why did Abraham beg God to spare those two evil cities? We need to know that Abraham did not bargain with God altruistically for the benefits of others because Lot, his nephew, the only inheritor at that moment, was living in Sodom.
In the gospel, hasn't Jesus once said that our Father knows what we need before we ask Him (Matthew 6:8)? So, why then should we pray? Besides putting into practice the three theological virtues, the story of Abraham tells us that through prayer, we know God and ourselves deeper. Without this prayer, we would not have the opportunity to know how merciful God is. In God's justice, there is mercy. We also know that we may bargain with God. Of course, we cannot but humbly acknowledge that no matter how smartly we bargain, we can never take advantage of God's mercy. Without this prayer, Abraham would not have the opportunity to know his own bottom-line (10 righteous men. In hindsight, we might tease Abraham for not demanding only one righteous person), to know his own ulterior motive and thus was the more grateful for the joy of receiving his own son from God.
In the parable of the gospel today, the main character, like Abraham, asked persistently for the sake of his own friend and God granted his request. In our daily life, who does not have a relative or friend suffering from the torture of illnesses? What should we pray for? For people suffering from chronic illnesses, they and their family members suffer tremendous pressures physically, financially, emotionally as well as relationally. Not only does one person suffer, but the whole group also suffer. Logically, we would pray for the healing of the patient. But I dare to declare that this request is of low level and is even wrong. No doubt, praying in this way shows charity but it lacks faith and hope. Why?
First of all, what are we? We teach God what to do! We believe in our own judgment more than that of God. This shows a lack of faith.
Lastly, how should we pray? The last verse of the gospel reveals the answer. Right! We should petition the Father to give the sick the Holy Spirit which is God's power, the triune God himself, to go through the suffering together. How blessed they are when they are able to combine their sufferings with those of the Son of God to redeem the world!
Brethren, don't lose heart. Pray boldly and beg the Holy Spirit to help us pray.
Following the revelation of the Bible and putting into practice for two millennia, the Church has developed several formats of prayers. We petition for our needs, we give thanks for wishes granted as well as for things granted without asking. We intercede for the needs of the others and lastly, we praise God for all the wonders He has done. I said previously that without prayer, one cannot be counted a Christian. It is most natural to pray for our needs, for far-off people, for souls in the purgatory and for those whom we cannot reach. We do not pray to Wong Tai Sin, nor Avalokitasvara but to the Father of Jesus. Is this not Faith? When we suffer persecutions or illnesses and patiently wait for the promises of the Lord, is this not Hope? When we pray for our own needs or the needs of the others, is this not Charity? Through prayers, we practise Faith, Hope and Charity which are the three theological virtues of Christians. If we do not pray, can we be counted Christians?
Secondly, suffering is a blessing. When we hide in our comfort zones for long, it is easy for us to become egocentric and forget the needs of the others and forget the existence of God. So, God gives us a little pain to wake us up and even to drive us out of our comfort zones so that we can have a chance to develop further. When we are alright, people around us do not need to worry about us. When we suffer, they will wake up and show their concerns ... Therefore, suffering is a blessing in disguise. At the right time, God will provide. When we insist on healing, we forget the promises of God. We lack hope.
Furthermore, we too should petition God to give us the Holy Spirit. St. Paul once teaches that, "... for we do not know how to pray as we ought, the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words ... because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God." (Romans 8:26-27) "You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly." (James 4:3) God does not grant us our so called prayers because we do not pray according to God's will.
God bless.
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