One of the most humbling aspects of religious life is being asked to pray for others. Especially as a new-fledged novice, I found myself biting back the words, “I’m just a person like you!” I was not yet consecrated to God through religious vows, while every baptized person is consecrated and able to address God as familiarly and trustingly as Christ addresses His “Abba, Father” (see Romans 8:15 f). Ultimately, what checked my protests was a firm belief that God is simply and powerfully drawn to any prayer a child of his offers for others.  

Our First Reading from Genesis (18:20-32) richly reveals this power of intercessory prayer. In fact—spoiler alert!—Abraham doesn’t finally convince God to spare Sodom, and verses preceding this reading make it clear that God knows the final outcome. So why does He even offer Abraham the opening for this back-and-forth? The Gospel reading (Luke 11:1-13) hints that it’s to teach us, like Abraham, to persist in prayer. But perseverance is not the only virtue Abraham exemplifies.

-       Abraham begins by acknowledging who God is—judge of all the world—and calls out his justice. Don’t we also better attend to and praise God’s attributes when we notice how he cares for others?

-       Abraham shows great tact and humility (“See how I am presuming to speak to my Lord, though I am but dust and ashes!” - v. 27), aware that he is approaching the Almighty, Eternal Creator with his temporal requests. How I might grow in humility by praying for others, who often may be closer to God than myself?!

-       Abraham goes beyond his personal concern for his nephew, Lot, to beg that all the righteous in Sodom be spared, whether Abraham knows them or not. It can be easy to pray for particular people close to us, but I suspect God is especially touched by the charity shown towards those unknown to us.

I imagine God smiling at Abraham and inwardly applauding his intercession. “That’s my boy! I knew you’d recognize Me. But you let love for others outweigh your awe of Me… Just look at how you grow, by praying for others! Keep it up, son!”

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Reflection by Sr. Felicity, OP