REFLECTIONS TODAY
Today’s Gospel has two parts: persistence in prayer (vv 5-8) and the answer to the prayer of the one who asks (vv 9-13). Persistence and trust go together. When we pray persistently, we keep on trusting that we will eventually receive what we ask for. Furthermore, we can only ask somebody of something when we have a degree of trust with that somebody. What do we normally ask of him if we truly trust him? The Gospel tells of the heavenly Father who gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask him. Instead of good gifts as found in Matthew (7:11), Luke tells that the Father will give us the Holy Spirit. It implies that God always wants what is best for us. When we receive the Holy Spirit, we will have good gifts from God, especially spiritual gifts which include the virtues of persistence and trust.
How persistent and trusting are we when we pray? Do we ask for spiritual gifts? Let us ask the Father to send us the Holy Spirit.
Gospel • 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?”
Source: “365 Days with the Lord 2022,” St. Pauls, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; Fax 632-895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.