Tuesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Today's Mass Readings

Todays readings from the Book of Genesis and from the Gospel of Matthew both pertain to intercession. In the Gospel reading, the disciples are afraid of being swept away by a storm, and so they ask Jesus to intercede and save them, which He does in His great mercy.

But the first reading from Genesis also deals with this topic. It assumes the previous readings, where we saw Abraham intercede on behalf of the towns of Sodom and Gomorrah, and especially his kinsfolk, Lot and his family. In today's portion, we see Lot escaping the imminent destruction with his family. The Lord's angels help them flee to safety, but Lot speaks up and asks another mercy, that they may stay in a nearby small village, and that, that small village may too avoid destruction. Through His angels, God grants Lot's prayer request. Lot and his family are permitted to stay inthat small village, and thus Lot was partially responsible for saving the inhabitants of that small village from disaster.

We must bear in mind that that village was slated for destruction on account of its wickedness too, as was the entire plain and cities therein like Sodom and Gomorrah, but through the intercession of Lot was saved.

We too need to learn to intercede on behalf of others. Not simply like Lot, when it benefits us, but also like Abraham, when we ourselves are under no imminent threat. We must learn to pray for others, especially those we find it difficult to pray for. I suggest we spend some time today thinking about individuals in our lives that need our prayer, and then spend some time this week praying for them.

A good practice to develop might be each day of the week to pick a different person we either dislike or are upset with or who we think is wicked or mean or difficult to be around, and pray for that person that God would bless them and help them in some way. This can be a powerfully transformative experience, especially if continued. Inspired byJesus' own disciples, by Abraham, and by Lot, let us learn to intercede before the throne of God for others.

- Jeff Morrow