A sermon on Matthew 18:19-20

By Fr. Mike Paraniuk
HCP columnist

One day a parishioner approached me after Mass. She was upset. She said, "I don't think God hears any of my prayers." 

I asked her why she felt that way. She quoted  Matthew 18:19-20 when Jesus said:

"If two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

The woman told me she prays alone in her bedroom at night for her needs and the needs of others. She said sadly,  "I guess Jesus isn't there because it's just me. Jesus said He will be present only when two people are praying together." 

I quietly asked God to give me a good answer for her. I blurted out, "There are two people present when you pray. You and Jesus make two. So, He is there with you." 

She thought about it for a moment then said, "You're right. I never counted Jesus as the other person." She left church with a smile. I thanked Jesus. "Lord, That was a great answer."  

We all have moments when God seems far away. My prayers go unanswered. God seems absent. Are you up there Lord? Where are you?
 
A man named Jack was walking along a road on a very dark moonless night. He accidentally got too close to the edge and fell down a cliff. On the way down, he grabbed a branch. Jack began yelling for help, hoping that someone passing by would hear him and lower a rope. "HELP! HELP! Is anyone up there? HELP!"

He was about to give up when he heard a voice.

"Jack, Jack. Can you hear me?"

"Yes, yes! I can hear you. I'm down here!"

"I can see you, Jack. Are you all right?"

"Yes, but, Who are you, and where are you?"

"I am the Lord, Jack. I'm everywhere."

"The Lord? You mean, God?"

"That's Me."

 "Now, here's what I want you to do. Let go of the branch."

"What?"

"I said, let go of the branch. Just trust Me. Let go."

"If I let go, I'll fall to my death."

"Jack, I got this. You will not die. Just let go and let Me, God take care of it."

"God, I'll let go. Please be there at the bottom."

"Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5.)

Before Jack let go, a car came down the road. Its headlights lit up the dark cliff where he was hanging. Jack could now see that his feet were only one foot off the ground. 

During those times when the darkness of doubt keeps you from seeing God, know that God sees you. God spoke to me last night in a dream. He said, "When your life is at its darkest, My love is at its brightest."

The Bible says, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me, even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you." (Psalm 139:11-12.)

Blessings...Fr. Mike.

Fr. Mike Paraniuk is a Priest Chaplain at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. His sermons can be heard live over WLRU Radio 106.9 FM on Wednesdays at 7 p.m.