Do you remember when someone interceded for you or spoke on your behalf, how grateful you were? To plead on one’s behalf is what it means to be an intercessor. I remember my dad pleading with my mom so my sisters and I didn’t have to do the dishes one night and mom agreed, and we were all excited and yelled thanks dad then mom then said to dad - Terry - you come with me seeing you wanted to free them up from doing the dishes you and I are doing them tonight. Needless to say that was the last time dad interceded for us for getting out of doing dishes

Today Abraham speaks on behalf of his nephew Lot. Recall how Abraham and Lot traveled together sharing the same land and how they both were rich in flocks and herds until the land could no longer support them. They later found quarrels taking place between their herdsman so Abraham told Lot they needed to go their separate ways so no strife would come between them or their herdsmen. Abraham told Lot that the land was vast and that if he preferred to go left, he’d go right. If he preferred right, he’d go left. Lot saw how abundantly watered the Jordan area was and set out toward it and settled near Sodom while Abram settled in Canaan. Today’s reading is many years later as we learn the people of Sodom are living wicked lives. The Lord tells Abraham he’s going to destroy the city, but Abraham pleads on behalf of Lot and the people of Sodom. God tells Abraham he will spare the land if finds 50 good people. Abraham bargains with God and gets him down to just ten good people. The Lord agrees he will not destroy the town if he finds ten good people but he couldn’t even find ten. 

Today’s Gospel also touches on intercessory prayer as Jesus reminds us God hears us when we pray and that what we ask of him we will receive but that does not mean we can pray for personal gain, but we pray to become more united with God. Abraham’s hoping God will spare the city by seeking his mercy for the innocent but he couldn’t even find ten, so the city was destroyed but the innocent were not. Lot and his wife and daughters escaped and even though Abraham pleaded for the town be saved to protect the innocent, the town was destroyed to punish the wicked but God did hear his prayer by sparing the innocent. So even though Sodom is destroyed Abraham and the Lord’s relationship is not but grows stronger as Abraham knew those living unjustly had to be held accountable , 

Today’s Gospel begins with Jesus at prayer. The Apostles have been observing him at prayer for a long time and know he has a close relationship with his Father and they want that too, so this time when he finishes praying his Apostles ask him to teach them to pray so they can have that same kind of relationship with his Father so Jesus tells them - when you pray say: Father, hallowed be your name.  Your kingdom come; give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive those indebted to us and do not subject us to the final test. 

The prayer he teaches his Apostles doesn’t begin with addressing our personal needs but it begins by praising God the Father in heaven and proclaiming his name as holy and calling for his kingdom to come, and that his will be done on earth as it is in heaven. We pray that we will be nourished daily and we ask for his forgiveness while we forgive others and that we be delivered from evil. Other than asking that we be feed, no other earthly concern is mentioned but how we can better honor God and our neighbor and attain heaven, that place of peace and harmony and joy that we strive for 

Yes, we do pray to be spared of pain and sorrow. Jesus prayed to be spared of the great suffering he was about to endure but he also prayed: not my will, but yours be done. Prayer is to draw us closer to God not to satisfy personal gain. Prayer is to help us become more conformed to God’s will. Kierkegaard said: Prayer doesn’t change God, but it changes the one who prays. Prayer opens our hearts to God’s grace so we can conform to his will. Maybe to help us better understand prayer we need to keep repeating over and over again God’s will be done - not my will - but yours. The more we pray to God - the more we grow - in our love for God. 

Yes there is intercessory prayer - prayer on someone else’s behalf. Remember Jesus came into the world to intercede for us and even though there is evil in our world as it was during Abraham’s time, Jesus was still willing to come into the world - because he wanted to help us get to heaven. St. Paul reminds us of Jesus’ intercession in today’s 2nd reading when he says; You were buried with him in Baptism and were raised with him through faith, it was the power of God who raised him from the dead and even though we were dead in our transgressions and the sins of the flesh he brought us to life. He forgave the transgressions against us by removing them from our midst and - nailing them to the cross.      

I can’t help but think of the song What a friend we have in Jesus - Jesus - the Son of God - was willing to come down to earth and be crucified on our behalf so that we could live forever - what an amazing intercessor. He’s truly our friend, who interceded for us - even though as Abraham said - we are but dust and ashes.   

Listen to the words of the Song: What a friend we have in Jesus. It summarizes our need to always pray to him: What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear, what a privilege to carry - everything to God in prayer.  O what peace we often forfeit - O what needless pain we bear - all because we - do not carry - everything to God in prayer. Have we trials and temptations - there is trouble everywhere. We should never be discouraged if we take it to the lord - in prayer.