The refrain, “On the day I called, O Lord, you answered me,” is from Psalm 138. It is the psalm that is sung in all Roman Catholic Churches throughout the world this coming Sunday. It is appropriate for the Sunday as the other Bible readings also reflect on prayer. The first Scripture passage is from the book of Genesis, Chapter 18, verses 20 to 32. It is the amazing story of God’s justice and retribution as regards Sodom and Gomorrah.

Sodom and Gomorrah were two cities of the ancient world whose reputation for evil seems to have grown more sordid over the years. They have become the symbol of evil and depravity of every kind, especially a wanton disregard for hospitality, a great sin in the ancient world, and sexual aberrations. In the passage we read that Abraham is standing before God as he contemplates the fate of the two cities. This casual description underscores the close intimacy of God and Abraham, reminding us of that intimacy that had been characteristic of God with Adam and Eve, with humanity, before the Fall.

It is obvious that Sodom and Gomorrah are going to be destroyed. Abraham takes it upon himself to question God’s retribution. He asks if God will destroy the cities if there are 50 righteous people in it. God replies that he will not destroy the cities for the sake of the 50. But then Abraham continues, moving to 45 righteous, and so on, until finally he asks God if he will destroy them if he finds 10 righteous in the cities. And God responds, “For the sake of 10 I will not destroy it.” This amazing passage, with Abraham intervening for justice and mercy for Sodom and Gomorrah is speaking to us of God’s mercy and love for all sinners.

Why does it stop at 10? Because 10 is the minimum number of people needed to attend prayers in the synagogue to worship God. If the number of righteous is below 10, which it was as the cities were destroyed, it is like saying there were no righteous people there; there was no righteous community there. It reminds us that for the Jewish people, and for Christians, God comes to save not primarily individuals, but all humanity, the whole community of people in this world. The passage also tells us of the power of prayer, for prayer is precisely the dialogue, as exemplified by Abraham, between God and the person, God and human beings.

The gospel for this Sunday takes up this theme of prayer. It is from the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 11, verses 1 to 13. Jesus, the Son of God, is praying, and as he concludes, his followers ask him to teach them to pray. He teaches them the Lord’s Prayer, the Our Father, and then goes on to exhort and encourage the disciples, and through them us, to pray. “So I say to you: Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” Listen to what the Lord says to us. “So I say to you” it is the Lord who is speaking to us, the Son of God; The Lord of the Universe; the one who destroyed death and restored life; The King of Creation. Open our hearts to Him pray to him as Abraham did, as he enjoins us, and join us this Sunday wherever you are as we say; “On the day I called, O Lord, you answered me. “

Rev. Eugene Whyte is a member of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) from the order’s Lacombe Province. He previously served in locales ranging from Nova Scotia to Zimbabwe. He is pastor of St. Lawrence Roman Catholic Church on Cree Road.