“If we knew how to listen to God, if we knew how to look around us, our whole life would become prayer. For it unfolds under God’s eyes and no part of it must be lived without being freely offered to him. At first, we communicate with God through words, which may be dispensed with later on… Words are only a means. However, the silent prayer which has moved beyond words must always spring from everyday life, for everyday life is the raw material of prayer.” (from Prayers by Michael Quoist, trans. by Agnes Forsyth and Anne Marie de Commaille, New York: Sheed & Ward, 1963, p. 29)
This quote from an old, old favorite book of mine, comes to mind as I approach today’s readings. Let’s start with Balaam’s prophecy in Numbers. The book of Numbers tells part of the story of the Israelites forty years in the desert as they journey back to the Promised Land from Egypt. Today’s reading foretells the birth of Christ more than 1500 years later. There is a fascinating back story to this prophecy.
A Little Help from a Donkey
Exodus 12:37 says “there were 600,000 men” who left Egypt—in addition to women and children. That’s a lot of people to come traipsing through a country. The local kings of peoples were frightened of them. Balak, king of Moab, hired Balaam, a prophet, to curse the Israelites as they approached his domain. Balaam asked God what to do. God said not to curse the Israelites, for he had blessed them. Yet, politics being what they have always been, Balaam eventually was persuaded to go with Balak’s servants to curse the Israelites. As he went, an angel of the Lord blocked his path. His donkey saw the angel and turned aside. Balaam was angry and struck her. At that point, the donkey spoke to Balaam and persuaded him to see the angel in the road. Balaam, then convinced, spoke the blessing and prophecy of today’s first reading.
Fervent Prayers in Our Parish
Fervent prayers have been prayed in our parish these past couple of weeks. One of our members life was threatened by smoke when her home caught on fire. Another, with some serious underlying lung conditions, was hospitalized with COVID and pneumonia. Then a child was born with breathing issues. We have a prayer chain—and it was going strong. My prayers have been fervent, and one night my sleep was fitful as I prayed and dozed, prayed and dozed.
Consequently, I did not wake up the next morning at my normal hour. God took that opportunity to speak to me through the animals—though in an ordinary way. It happened like this.
Claire’s Message
After several years without a pet, the two cats in the picture above have come to my house to live. The yellow one, Merton, is a friendly, extroverted cat. The gray one, Claire, has been very slow to warm up. I have had to work carefully to tame her. From playing to barely touching to holding for a few seconds to holding longer…we have gone through an extended taming process.
On the morning that I did not wake up as usual, little shy Claire did a very interesting thing. She took a running jump onto the bed and landed on my stomach. All two pounds of her came with more force than you might imagine. She did it three times—until I got up howling with laughter!
No words came out of Claire’s mouth, but God spoke to me through her.
I struggle sometimes to trust God. I am a problem solver, and, when I can’t solve a problem, I sometimes hunker down and ball up in fear and pride. I have been in that state recently, and God showed me clearly my hardness of stubborn heart.
I had a personal prayer weekend that was intense—one of those times when God just doesn’t give up! As we wrestled, however, God wrapped me much in his love. I even thought of it as God gently, yet firmly loving and taming me, just as I was doing with Claire. Awareness of that love gave me the courage and strength to push through, to let go and let God, to at least get to the point of begging God to give me eyes to see and faith to follow so I could let go of some old wounds from many years ago that were holding me captive in unforgiveness.
My prayer for my friends in danger had been especially intense. I had noticed it. I thought it was just because of the seriousness of the situations. But, with the third thrust of Claire’s feet, I got out of bed laughing because I realized all that night, in my fitful, prayerful, semi-sleep, I had grown very bold in my intercession.
This little animal, who had been afraid of me, now boldly took it upon herself to rouse me from sleep. She was not afraid of me at all! I had tamed her to the point she trusted that when she pounded me with all her might I would respond with goodness, not harm.
I saw with great joy, in that moment, how God was taming me through that tough prayer weekend, and how I, like Claire, had responded with trust, now storming heaven with a new insistence to get God’s favor for people I love who were in danger.
My prayer and my prayer life were blessed…like Balaam blessed the Israelites.
I am happy to report all three of our parishioners are now on the road to recovery! God has blessed me, too, with a wonderful Advent gift of appreciating how good God is to tame me…to be patient while I struggle—holding me, sometimes against my preference, with hands of love. As I struggle and see God’s goodness, I grow in my ability to bring others to him to bless also. It is a wonderful thing!
Mysteries of God
Today’s Gospel takes place during Holy Week. The day before, Jesus had driven the money changers out of the temple. Now he is back in the temple teaching. The chief priests and elders approach him to ask, “On whose authority are you doing these things?” Jesus answers their question with a question back about their response to John the Baptist. They are afraid to tell him their hearts, so Jesus replies, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.” Jesus did not share the Mystery. God shares his Mysteries with those who trust.
Like many others, I am asking about the Mysteries of our day: “What is God telling us through COVID?” “Is there an angel on the road?” “What is the lesson?”
For the moment, it seems God is saying to me as I struggle, “Let yourself be Claire. Let Me hold you. Let Me tame you through your prayer. Then don’t be afraid to hurl yourself into the middle of My Love—for your friends, for your needs, for the troubles of the world. Learn better how to listen to me. Let all your life become prayer.
Prayer
Lord, thank You for Your care of me, even talking through my pets. Thank You for Your patient taming, Your daily care. Give me the audacity of my cat to barrage You with prayer, trusting You will take care of us. And, Lord, help me to see what You see—in myself, in COVID, in our world. Help me to trust You and to follow. Help me repent when I need to repent, to speak when I need to speak, to listen when I need to listen…and always to follow, follow You.
