Sunday Homily, 26 October 2025 - Fr Paul Rowse, OP

Well, if you’ve ever wanted to know what it's like to be God, today is your chance. I hope you're not too disappointed if the experience wasn't of wondrous power or creative knowledge.

The Lord’s parable answers the question: what is it like to receive prayer?  Making prayers is a task we have some affinity with already.  There are our common prayers of the Mass and Divine Office, and private prayers at other times.  I love seeing our votive candle trees all lit up.  Each candle is a placeholder for the one who lit it.  We may go on our way, so our little candle holds our place.  So, making prayers is something we know about.  And we renew our intention today to keep them all up.

But what is it like to receive prayer as God does?  What's it like to be on the receiving end of our praying?

In calling out prayers like that of a particularly proud pharisee, the Lord signals his desire to be loved as much as he loves.  In recounting for us prayers of a penitent tax collector, the Lord is saying how ready he is to meet us in our human experience – it’s the Lord who hears someone who is otherwise unheard.

Receiving prayer as God means listening out for those who are not perfect but who are authentic.  Famously, during one of her visions, Saint Teresa of Avila heard Jesus say to her: “I'd create the world again just to hear you say you love me.”  In our prayer, God is looking for someone who wants him even more than they need him.

It's hardly the case that the Pharisee needs anyone else, let alone wants them. There is the saying: someone who is happy to go to heaven alone will never get there (cf. Boethius).

So, you and I are being encouraged to reflect carefully on our praying.  Prayer will show us the way that we believe in God and live with others.

Prayer to God when we need him is good.  He wants to help us.  I hope too that you want him as well, that you live with each other, you and God.  The tax collector prays from a need for forgiveness.  That's a great start.  What happens then once we have been forgiven?  What comes next in the relationship?  I hope God is again called on to share the rest of your life with you, not just your sinful episodes.

What of the prayer of thanksgiving?  What of the prayer of intercession for others?  What of the prayer of lament or hope, disappointment or joy?  If others can make their needful appearance in these prayers of ours, we’ll be doing well too.  The tax collector didn’t get that far, but we can.

Do consider, then, what is motivating your prayer, what is its main driver.  A sense of comforting routine, habit, obligation, or guilt can give way to the need for God himself, the want of God in himself.

And because we shall want God himself, we’ll find our prayer will include our neighbour, who like us is God’s noble creation redeemed by Christ, to whom be the glory for ever.  Amen.

Fr Paul Rowse, OP

Parish Priest