By Fr Trevor D’Souza, OFM –
If there are fifty righteous, will you destroy the place …. ?(Genesis 18:20-32)
Often we find many persons, who file petitions in courts which are of a public nature. For example, rights of children, disabled, aborigines, protection of forests, rivers, natural resources and the like. We call these petitions Public Interest Litigations (PILs).
An advocate is one who creates publicly support for an idea, way of doing something or a lawyer who defends someone in a law court or someone who pleads on behalf of another in the court.
In Gen 18:20-32 we find the first biblical advocate in the person of Abraham and the first PIL filed by him in God’s court!!!
What was the cause Abraham was advocating for? God seeing the moral life of the people of Sodom and Gomorrah decided to destroy the inhabitants (Verses 20-21). When Abraham comes to know of God’s plan, he begins pleading on behalf of the righteous people living in these cities. His persuasive skills, helps him to bring out the best in God (so to say), when God agrees not to destroy the cities if he were to find at least ten righteous people living there (Verse 32). Abraham begins by asking God, what if there are fifty righteous people and bargaining his way through he reaches ten and gets judgement in his favour.
Any lawyer or advocate can learn from Abraham the art of pleading a cause!
In the same episode we also see the nature of God being displayed. God is upset, to use a light word, at the immoral behavior of the people.
Yet when Abraham manages to touch his heart, he softens is anger with compassion and mercy.
Two lessons we can learn from this episode. One, all of us can become advocates, pleaders, intercessors before God on behalf of humankind.
Just like Abraham interceded, pleaded, advocated before God on behalf of Sodom and Gomorrah, we too can plead before God for the peoples of our world. Our world is ridden with violence, hatred, selfishness, exploitation of the poor, abuse of the weaker ones, and so many dehumanizing situations.
Each one of us can become a pleader, and petition a PIL before God. Second, we must touch the merciful and compassionate heart of God in favour of our fellow human beings. That is exactly what Jesus did on our behalf. He pleaded on our behalf for mercy and compassion, and pleaded our cause – Father forgive them for they know not what they do (is only one example)!!!