***
Gospel: Luke 11: 1-13
Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished,
one of his disciples said to him,
“Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.”
He said to them, “When you pray, say:
Father, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread
and forgive us our sins
for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us,
and do not subject us to the final test.”
And he said to them, “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 the visitor 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?”
The Gospel of the Lord.
***
***
One of the most exciting times of the year is summer CCD. It’s amazing to see our church filled with kids who are ready learn about Jesus.
As they begin diving into the faith, inevitably questions arise.
For example, one of the teachers came up to me and said, “Father, how do you define prayer? The kids are asking me some hard questions about it.”
“Like what?” I said.
“Well, they’re wondering if prayer is like a competition.”
“What?”
“Well, one of the kids said, ‘What if I asked God to let me win first place in a race and my friend asked God for the same thing. If he gets first place and I don’t, then does God love him more than me?’”
No, prayer isn’t a competition.
***
Nor is it a guarantee.
If I prayed for a BMW today and received it tomorrow, then everyone would pray! But we don’t always get what we pray for.
By a show of hands, how many of us prayed for something and not received it?
If Jesus were seated in these pews, this his hand would be raised, too.
***
Even Jesus was told, “no.”
Remember what happened in the Garden of Gethsemane. He knelt down and prayed, “Father, let this cup pass from me… yet not my will, but yours be done.”
Hours later, he’s led off to Calvary.
***
So, if prayer doesn’t guarantee us first place, freedom from suffering, or a BMW in our driveway, then what does prayer do?
Why should we pray?
***
Because Jesus prayed, leaving us an example to follow. The disciples saw the difference it made in his ministry firsthand, which is why they ask him in today’s Gospel, “Lord, teach us how to pray.”
Consider moments when Jesus prayed and the effect it had on his ministry: he prayed before choosing his twelve Apostles.
He prayed before performing miracles like the raising of Lazarus, the multiplication of the loaves, and walking on water.
He prayed before calling Peter the “rock” of the Church, handing him the keys to the kingdom of heaven…then he prayed for Peter again that his faith would not fail after being scandalized by Jesus’ crucifixion.
How many of us find ourselves in a similar situation?
We need to make an important life decision; we need a miracle; we want courage to carry our cross; we want peace; we want to intercede on someone else’s behalf as Jesus did for Peter.
At these intersections, we’re called to pray!
***
Often enough, God does give us what we ask for. “Ask and you shall receive,” Jesus says, “seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”
Hasn’t our journey together over the last two years been an answer to prayer?
I’m humbled when I think about a particular parishioner, who said to me when we first met, “Father, I prayed to Jesus, asking for a young priest who’s on fire. Then you arrived.”
And I said, “Well, I certainly hope I fit the bill!”
***
So, why does God answer some – but not all – of our prayers?
Parents, think about when your children approach you asking for something.
Whatever it may be, they are convinced that it’s best for them. Sometimes they’re right. But not always.
God sees us the same way. When we ask for something, we are convinced it’s exactly what we need. Sometimes we’re right. But not always.
God is our Heavenly Father who knows what is best for us. But like children who must communicate their needs to their parents, so we must also share our desires with God.
***
So, what’s one thing I’m praying for?
***
“I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you,” Jesus says.
If you don’t get what you desire right away, then persevere in prayer. God will always give us what we need, so long as we ask.
Even when the answer is “no,” we’re called to trust – as Jesus did in Gethsemane – that our Father knows best.
The resurrection is proof of that.
***
***
Image credits: (1) Velvet Ashes (2) An Encounter with Yeshua, Yongsung Kim (3) A Perfect Peace, Yongsung Kim
Thank you, Father. So happy you are here with us at St. Pius! When we cry out to God and our prayer is in alignment with His Will, amazing and beautiful things happen.