Psalm Reflection - The Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Cycle C

“Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.” - Psalm 138

Have you ever seen those reports on the news involving a correspondent in the field talking to the news anchor and there is a few second delay?

Or have you ever been in a movie theater or watching something online and the audio is a few milliseconds off of the video?

Those things drive me crazy. 

I get that they are a part of life and technology is never perfect, but they drive me crazy because I become hyper-focused on the delay and I am no longer able to pay attention to anything else.

I do not like delays. 

I always book direct flights if I can find them.

I always plan ahead for traffic and the unexpected. 

I get frustrated with my phone or computer when they do not respond immediately.

I order ahead, and when it is not ready when I show up I start getting agitated.

Pray for me.

In all seriousness, we all probably struggle with impatience in some way. Whether it is waiting in lines, traffic, anticipating a vacation, waiting for good news, wanting to see our plans come to fruition, or looking for a response from the Lord in prayer, we can all get antsy sometimes.

The Psalm this week serves as a beautiful reminder that God is never on vacation. God is never delayed in hearing our prayers. 

St. Andre Bessette (1845-1937) out it this way: “When you say Our Father, God's ear is next to your lips."

However, sometimes we do experience a delay in God answering our prayers.

In the Book of Daniel, and angel or messenger of God tells the prophet that God immediately heard Daniel’s prayers: 

“Do not fear, Daniel,” he continued; “from the first day you made up your mind to acquire understanding and humble yourself before God, your prayer was heard.” - Daniel 10:12

But, it goes on to say that Daniel’s prayers were not answered for 21 days because of an external force that required the intervention of Saint Michael the Archangel (Daniel 10:13).

On one hand, spiritual warfare is real, and the evil one can cloud our minds and hearts with noise and distractions to prevent us from hearing the voice of God, but that does not mean God does not hear our prayers. God immediately springs into action every time we come to Him in prayer.

On the other hand, sometimes we are prevented from experiencing God answering our prayers because we are not ready for the answer, or because we are only listening for the answer we want to hear. 

God hears AND answers every single prayer.

Let me repeat that:

God answers every single prayer.

Sometimes, His answer is “no.”

Sometimes, it is “yes.”

Sometimes, it is “not yet.”

Sometimes, we ask for things from God that are so big that our hearts are not yet big enough to receive them. Waiting in patient and humble trust in the Lord can swell our hearts and make us ready to receive all He desires to give.

As the Psalmist this week celebrates: when we call out to God, He answers us that day. Whether or not we are ready to accept, receive or hear the answer is another story.

This week, be patient in prayer. Trust that God is working even in the midst of waiting. Trust that God hears your prayers the moment you speak them and is already working for your greatest possible good (Romans 8:28).

So, let go of control, and enjoy the waiting. Do not be in a hurry in your prayer, but let your waiting become a prayer of deep trust and reliance on God.

If you perceive God to be absent or delayed, realize that He is working that much more on what He desires to give you, just like someone taking too long to get ready because they want to completely wow their date. So, enjoy the waiting in such a way that you are ready for God to wow you.

I am praying for you, please pray for me and my family, and I will see you in the Eucharist.

Matt