It is not often when I read the Scriptures that I think, “Wow, Jesus is having one of those days.” But today’s gospel indicates he was. First, he encounters a crowd arguing with the Scribes. Next a man in crowd tells him that his disciples could not drive a mute spirit out of his son, causing Jesus to mutter in frustration: “O faithless generation, how long will I be with you? How long will I endure you?” The icing on the cake was when the man pleading with Jesus to help his son adds: “But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” To which an exasperated Jesus replies: “If you can! Everything is possible to one who has faith.”  After Jesus heals the son, he leaves with his disciples who want to know why they couldn’t drive out the spirit harming the boy. Jesus tells them: “This kind can only come out with prayer.”

It does not seem accidental that today’s first reading is about Wisdom which instructs us that what fosters bitter jealousy and selfish ambition “does not come from above but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.” Saint James goes on to say: “the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits without inconstancy or insincerity.”

It seems to me that Jesus was able to drive out this difficultdemon because he possessed a wisdom that was rooted in prayer. Being grounded in a consistent prayer life enabled Jesus to stay focused on interacting with others based on what comes from ‘above’, from God.  It reminded me that I am more likely to give in to hate and more willing to believe lies about others without proof when I have strayed away from my prayer life.

Recently, several people of were removed from a flight in Omaha as they were refusing to wear their masks on the plane. When the flight attendant approached them to ask them to put their masks on, one of them called her the ‘N’ word. The whole plane had to disembark, delaying the flight by an hour as they removed a number of the people from that flight. A passenger remarked “It’s a shame to see that sort of behavior and racist behavior because I know people in Omaha aren’t typically like that.” 

Being born and raised in Omaha, I’d like to believe we Omahans aren’t “typically” like that, but I think Omaha is like most other places. It depends on who we listen to and who we choose to believe.  Are they voices from ‘above’ or are they voices that feed jealousy and hate? Perhaps if I spent more time in prayer, the voices that encourage me to deny our common humanity would be easier to ignore.

When my daughters were younger, I took them to the Sinsinawa Motherhouse in Sinsinawa, WI. It was so peaceful and calm there. It was an incredible contrast to my chaotic life in Omaha. While we were there, I kept trying to figure out why it was so dramatically different from my day-to-day reality.  What I finally realized on our last day was that the Sisters came together 3 times a day to pray. Since their lives were centered around prayer, it created a peaceful and healing environment that made it easier to be kind and to think before I acted.

And I think that is true for us.  When our lives are grounded in prayer, it is easier to dismiss the ideas and opinions that foster hate and division, the words that do not come from ‘above.’

Time spent in prayer will help me better discern what comes from ‘above’. I believe it will help me think twice before I utter words that are filled with contempt for another. It will make it almost impossible for me to act like those who were deplaned in Omaha. It will also remind me when things seem so difficult in some many places around our world that “Everything is possible to one who has faith.”

Wisdom has been a common theme in the readings for the last few weeks. Perhaps the Spirit is trying to get us to understand how critical Wisdom is in becoming closer to God and each other?  So, while I would like to tell you I am going to focus on becoming wise this Lent, that seems like too lofty a goal. However, I do know I can create space in my Lenten days to spend more time with God in prayer. And who knows? Eventually I may become wiser!