Paean to Prayer & Pac-Man

The 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Today’s Readings: [Click here]

I was over at Best Buy in Champaign last week because my television died and I wanted to get a new one. As I headed toward the back of the store, I couldn’t help but notice the display of video game consoles. No, I didn’t buy one of those (!) — but still, I was quite impressed. You can choose PlayStation or Xbox or that amazing Wii system. The graphics are incredible — so good, in fact, that you sometimes think you’re watching a movie.

Today’s game technology is certainly a far cry from the first video systems. I remember that my friends and I were mesmerized by Pong back in mid-70’s: a white dot bouncing on a black screen, like video ping pong. Wow! And then, a few years later, Pac-Man came out, with those relentless critters munching everything in their path.

Believe it or not, I thought about Pac-Mac when I read our first bible passage today from the Old Testament Book of Sirach. The text says that the prayer of the oppressed and lowly penetrates heaven. It pierces the clouds and does not rest until it reaches it goal. Just like Pac-Man. Single-minded and unstoppable.

That message is pretty amazing. Not only does this prayer get heard in heaven — in other words, it reaches God’s ears — but it keeps echoing and resounding and bouncing around God’s in-box until he acts upon it!

Now remember, the prayer that we’re talking about is the prayer of the oppressed and lowly. These are people leading quiet, peaceful, humble lives, but who are hated or abused or put down by others. They could be folks who are of the wrong class, born on the wrong side of the tracks, of the wrong color, wrong sexual orientation, wrong IQ, wrong school, wrong family, wrong church… there are many possibilities. Even Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, says in the second reading today that he was deserted, detested and oppressed.

To round out our readings, the gospel tells us that God, who sees all and knows all, can easily cut to the heart of the truth in his human creatures. Smug, self-satisfied souls who think they’re so great maybe aren’t so great in God’s sight after all. But the humble folks who know they have faults — and lots of them! — will be heard in heaven and lifted up. How’s that for a reality check?

Most of us know that an overinflated ego and bragging can be rude and annoying in human society. But why does God care? Why doesn’t he just ignore the bravado and laugh it off?

The main reason is quite simply that God always chooses to work through each of us to build up the world and impart his blessings to other people. Like it or not, we are God’s vehicle… his instrument. When we exalt ourselves, we limit God’s options because we become unavailable as a sign and witness to others. They don’t see God in us, just our giant ego. But God wants us to be open to everybody, especially the most despised — the lowly and oppressed. If you think back on your own life experiences, you’ll probably discover that God has a knack for frequently tossing us in with people we like the least! That’s why; we have a job to do!

A second truth is that if we exalt ourselves, we cannot exalt Christ. God wants our lives, our gifts, our words and our deeds to all point to Christ, not to ourselves. The channel of revelation works like this: we lead people to Christ, and Christ leads them to God. We reveal Jesus, and Jesus reveals God. By pointing only to ourselves, we prevent others from seeing Christ who wants to show them God. In other words, our big ego breaks the chain of revelation.

Think about a practical little example. I’m lying in a hospital bed. My doctor has just told me how sick I really am. I can’t believe my ears. As the doctor leaves the room, I find myself talking to God about my condition. “Now, Lord,” I begin, “you know I’ve always been faithful to you. I’m your priest! I say mass every day, try to be available to the flock you’ve entrusted to me. We have some great conversations, you and me, don’t we? Why, I’m one of your greatest witnesses! Now Lord, about this illness…”

Then, from the next bed, I hear the soft sounds of muffled weeping — the voice of someone as though calling out to a parent. “Oh, Lord, have mercy. I’m lying here sick and in pain. The only thing I have to believe in is your love. Oh, Healer, your will be done in this body. Work out your love in this spirit. Help this sinner, Lord.”

When I hear this prayer, I can’t help but wonder about my own need for God. Will God listen if I admit that I’m feeling scared, weak and helpless? I never thought so. Yet now, in the face of my sickness, all the good deeds I’ve relied on to give me a sense of self-worth seem so trivial… almost pathetic. Who’s going to come to show me how to empty my heart of my self-righteousness so it can be filled instead with God’s merciful love — the stuff I really need?

Today’s a perfect day to begin to adjust our attitudes and realign things in our lives. Breathe out the vanity of self-love and self-righteousness… breathe in God’s love. May we truly re-experience God’s grace as we continue our faith journey, knowing that the tender mercy of God’s love is what really gives us a sense of power and self-worth.