GOD’S WORD

October 8, 2015 (Thursday) 27th Week in Ordinary Time Gospel: Lk 11:5-13

Jesus said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend and goes to his house in the middle of the night and says: ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine who is traveling has just arrived and I have nothing to offer him.’ Maybe your friend will answer from inside: ‘Don’t bother me now; the door is locked and my children and I are in bed, so I can’t get up and give you anything.’ But I tell you, even though he will not get up and attend to you because you are a friend, yet he will get up because you are a bother to him, and he will give you all you need.

And so I say to you, ‘Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you. For the one who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and to him who knocks the door will be opened.

If your child asks for a fish, will you give him a snake instead? And if your child asks for an egg, will you give him a scorpion? If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.” Reflection:

Once more Jesus paints for us a common scene of our life to understand the conditions of prayer. In our life today, while we are resting, hearing a call at the gates or from the phone or mobile is always very annoying. We get up with difficulty and answer. The call may be urgent, as in the parable. We don’t know.

Jesus encourages us to be persevering in our supplication and promises a good outcome.

The comparison with family relations is very pedagogical yet striking: a father never would give a snake or a scorpion to his child.

So, in the furrow of the Lord’s Prayer we are reassured: our Father will give us the supreme gift which is the Holy Spirit, if we ask perseveringly for it. Let us whole-heartedly trust in the promise of Jesus.