Thy Will Be Done

Homily for Friday after the Epiphany

Now there was a man full of leprosy in one of the towns where he was; and when he saw Jesus, he fell prostrate, pleaded with him, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.”

While this is just one verse of the Gospel text, we must not overlook the depth of this man’s faith as he expresses it in both his body language and his words. Upon seeing Jesus, the man falls prostrate – the position of utmost humble prayer – and says, Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean. Two things stand out in just this first verse. The first is that the man, inflicted with leprosy, recognizes who he is before Jesus and humbles himself before the Lord. It is a sign of deep faith that this man recognizes that Jesus has divine authority. The second notable aspect is that the leper acknowledges the will of Jesus. Instead of asking Jesus to make him clean, he asserts, with confidence, that if the Lord wishes to make him clean, he can do so.

This man, in many ways, is a model for us in our prayer to the Lord: to approach the Lord with humility, recognizing his power and authority, to express with confidence what we ask for, knowing the Lord desires only our good, and that he will grant us what we most need. We listen for his response, entering into a dialogue of prayer with him.

When we come to the Lord in prayer, we ought to come with a humble heart, a contrite heart when we are in need of forgiveness, and a joyful heart when we are offering praise and thanksgiving. We place ourselves before him in submission, recognizing that we are not God, and that we are in need of his providence in our lives. We should also approach the throne of grace seeking his will and not our own, asking God what he wishes to do in our lives.

St. Luke’s Gospel has often been called “The Gospel of Prayer.” Saint Luke includes many instances in which Jesus pulls himself away seeking solitude so that he can pray. Today’s incident is just one example of that. Jesus himself demonstrates humility by seeking God’s divine will for his life through prayer.

As we approach the altar today, let us embrace a prayerful stance, a humble stance, and the realization that what we seek is the fulfillment of God’s will as we pray every day, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.