Most of us are familiar with the story of Aladdin – if not the original Mideast folktale, then certainly the Disney variation that has been recently made into a live-action feature film. It is the story of a young ne’er do well who becomes the unwitting recipient of a magic lamp that contains an all-powerful genie capable of making the boy’s wildest dreams come true.
In order to compel the enchanted creature to grant one of his desires, Aladdin is told to rub the lamp, invoke the Genie’s name and make a wish. Unlike the legend of the leprechauns who tend to trick their abductors in order to escape servitude, a genie is a captive slave who is subjected to the whims of the one who is in possession of the lamp. If you ask, then you will receive. Your wish is his command.
The first time I heard the message in today’s gospel, I assumed Jesus was offering up a similar deal. Because he must return to the father and will no longer be around to work miracles in real time, he assures his disciples that as long as they drop his name in their prayers, God will take care of them. I willingly admit that I was all of eight-years-old when I first contemplated this, but it sounded like a pretty sweet set up to me! Forget birthday candles, chasing rainbows or casting a penny down a wishing well. As long as I loved Jesus, I could count on Him to put in a good word for me. Talk about having friends in high places!
Yeah…it didn’t quite work out the way I thought it would. Despite my fervent prayers to let me get an A on a test I didn’t study for, make my crush like me back or for my parents to win the Publisher’s Clearinghouse Sweepstakes, God was not inclined to fulfill my request. Now I don’t want to suggest that Jesus failed to make good on His campaign promises, but I held up my end of the bargain and he didn’t come through. So what went wrong?
Well for starters, Jesus isn’t a genie, leprechaun or magical wizard whose sole purpose is to give me whatever I think I want at the time. By getting Him involved in my prayers, I am more or less asking Him to co-sign on my concern and hand it over to God so that He can do what is best according to his will. Let’s face it; Thy will be done is the only prayer that works 100% of the time! Jesus knew that when He used it! Perhaps I didn’t understand this when I was little, but it’s the kind of thing that gives me pause now. These days, I don’t bother God with the inconsequential things that matter little in the long run and I don’t blame Him if they don’t turn out the way I want them to. When I need Jesus to sign off on my need, I try to make sure it is something important and then I trust God to do what’s right. After all, asking isn’t getting.
Ali Baba may have had those 40 thieves and Scheherazade had her thousand tales. But we’re in luck because Jesus gave us the one prayer that never fails.
We’ve never had a friend like Him.
Today’s readings for Mass: ACTS 18: 23-28; PS 47: 2-3, 8-9, 10; JN 16: 23B-2B
