15th Sunday after Pentecost 13.9.09 Satisfaction guaranteed
Certain products we can buy will say on the label: If not completely satisfied return the package and we will send you a refund.
This can be a bit like what happens when we pray. We can ask for things like a new bike for Christmas, or, Lord, just let me win the lottery and I will spend the money wisely.
Yet, Christmas comes and no bike, and the lottery comes and I win about nine dollars at the most. Where is God, we say. Why does He not grant our prayers?
Well, one thing we can say is that He gives us what we need not what we want.
Or we could say He gives us either what we ask or something better still. He blesses us beyond what we ask (Now to Him who is able to do all things more abundantly than we desire or understand, according to the power that worketh in us: Eph3,20).
We never get less than we ask.
The only remaining problem is that our definition of ‘better’ might not be the same as His.We value the three million dollar lottery prize more than He does. Whereas He might say we are better off poor, because it will keep us humble and dependent on Him. But we say we could handle the money and still be humble. Maybe not.
Eventually we will come around to see that He was right.
The Gospel today records the return to life of the widow’s only son. It raises questions about God’s providence and His desire to bless us. Our Lord ‘felt sorry’ for the woman and spontaneously gave her what she wanted. This much is easy to understand.
But the question then could be: why does He not return everyone to life? Lots of people would be grieving as much as that woman: why not give them back the person they love?
It is a natural instinct when we hear of death to wish it were not so. But we see it is not God’s normal way to do what He did in this story.
He gives us either what we ask or something better. He has another way of bringing back the dead. It is called Heaven. He takes them to a better place (always presuming the right disposition on their part). The mysteries of His judgment of others are beyond us, but we can influence even that process by our prayer. We intercede constantly for the best possible result. Lead all souls to heaven, especially those who most need Thy mercy.
He saves us from death - eternal death. If we have faith; if we are living in a state of grace then physical death is just a comma in the sentence, a transition to a fuller life.
We sometimes rage against His will. On the question of death, we are especially inclined to do that. Many, sadly, have abandoned their faith because of the death of a particular person. If God took my mother or son or best friend, then I don’t believe in Him for being so mean.
But He never gives us less than we ask. If He does not return the people to us He certainly does not abandon them either. He blesses them and us in a different way. Them, with mercy and eternal life. Us, with hope of joining them.
He brings back to life in another sense also: that of forgiveness of sin. He returns the wayward son to his Mother, the Church. This may be less spectacular than a physical rising from the dead, but it is more important.
Almighty God is always receiving complaints. The human race is largely ‘sending back the package’ demanding a refund.
One of the many blessings He gives us is Wisdom – the ability to understand how He is working in our lives. And with that will come patience, humility, obedience, resignation to His will. And thanksgiving that it is all coming to where it needs to be.
If every prayer brings either what we ask or something better – how can we lose? Amongst our other petitions let us ask for the grace to trust in God at all times and in all things.
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