“Pray faithfully and
devotedly, because a grace God has not granted you once, He may grant to you
some other time. On your hand, humbly place your whole mind in God, and God
will place his grace in you, as and when He pleases.” – Blessed Giles of
Assisi: (1190 – 1262: Was one of the original companions of St.
Francis of Assisi)
Gospel Text: (Lk
11:5-13)
Jesus said to his
disciples:
“Suppose one of you has a friend
to whom he goes at midnight and says,
‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,
for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey
and I have nothing to offer him,’
and he says in reply from within,
‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked
and my children and I are already in bed.
I cannot get up to give you anything.’
I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves
because of their friendship,
he will get up to give him whatever he needs
because of his persistence.
“And I tell you, ask and you will receive;
seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives;
and the one who seeks, finds;
and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
What father among you would hand his son a snake
when he asks for a fish?
Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg?
If you then, who are wicked,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit
to those who ask him?”
“Suppose one of you has a friend
to whom he goes at midnight and says,
‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,
for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey
and I have nothing to offer him,’
and he says in reply from within,
‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked
and my children and I are already in bed.
I cannot get up to give you anything.’
I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves
because of their friendship,
he will get up to give him whatever he needs
because of his persistence.
“And I tell you, ask and you will receive;
seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives;
and the one who seeks, finds;
and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
What father among you would hand his son a snake
when he asks for a fish?
Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg?
If you then, who are wicked,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit
to those who ask him?”
Today’s Gospel speaks to us of prayer and urges us to ask
the Father for our needs. Have you ever wondered why God doesn’t say yes
to all your prayers? I have. Well okay, I understand that if I pray
to pass an exam and haven’t studied, or to win a game but haven’t practiced or
to be healed but don’t take care of myself I shouldn’t expect God to reverse
the path I’ve chosen. And I understand that some things that I tell God I
want may not be best for me but there are times that I just know what I am
praying for is a good thing and then I wonder and ask, “Why not, God. Why
not?” Well, perhaps that thing we most fear happening is going to
challenge us to grow or teach us to love in new ways. Maybe we just
aren’t ever going to know the reason why God doesn’t grant our request.
We have to remember and accept that God has a plan and it is not always going
to be our plan.
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