Readings: Daniel 3:25; 34-43; Psalm 25; Matthew 18:21-35
In the first reading of today, we have an account of the prayers of Azariah. He stood in the heart of the fire and he began to pray.
It is significant to note that this prayer was uttered in the heart of a terrible place. He reminds us of Jonah who cried out to God in the belly of the fish and the Psalmist who cried out of the depth.
Dear friends, our heart of the fire is any situation that brings us fear, pains or threatens our peace, the Lord is there for us, don’t drain your energies crying, regretting and blaming, begin to pray from your fire. Sometimes we need to be in the heart of the fire to be able to pray well.
Looking at the prayers of Azariah, what a very wonderful prayer for mercy he said. He appealed to some powerful entities, which mean so much to God.
He didn’t appeal to his righteousness or the merit of his good works. He appealed for mercy based on the following.
1. He appealed to God’s name:
He said for the sake of your name, do not abandon us. God honours His name.
2. He appealed to God’s faithful friends:(Abraham, Isaac, Israel).
Those who walk faithfully with God and are in good standing with Him can obtain favour for other people. This explains in part why we ask the saints to pray for us.
3. He appealed to God’s promise:
God is faithful and He watches His words and promises to fulfill them (Numbers 23:19, Jer 1:12). God has given us His promises in His Word.
4. He appealed to God’s desire:
God desires a contrite heart and a broken spirit more than holocausts of rams, bullocks and fattened lambs. A humbled and contrite heart, He doesn’t ever spurn (Psalm 51:17).
5. He appealed to the character/integrity of God: God is gentle, merciful, and trustworthy.
God honours all these- He honours His name, His faithful friends, His promise, a broken spirit, His integrity.
Most importantly, He honours the sacrifice of His Son for us. On the basis of these, no matter the immensity or intensity of our sins, God can still pardon us.
This brings us to the Gospel of today. Jesus presents God as a master who pardons a staggering debt that is worth the wife, children, possessions, in fact, the entire lineage of the debtor.
Here is the message; there is the hope of mercy for you from the Lord, no matter the weight of the sin, just come with the right appeal.
Sermon preached by Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Baraka-Gukena Okami on March 9, 2021