Reflections on Scripture | Thursday of the 27th Week in Ordinary Time

Join Msgr. Don Fischer as he reads and delivers a short reflection on today’s gospel, followed by 3 1/2 minutes of contemplative music and a closing prayer. Msgr. Don hopes that today’s reflection on the gospel will empower you to carry the Word in your heart throughout the day.

Choose either the video or audio below.

Gospel
Luke 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?”

Reflection

This is a story about prayer, about seeking and asking from another or from God something that you need, something that you don't have. And what is encouraging people to have is persistence in their prayer. You ask, tell God what you need, and then you basically have to be searching for the answer, seeking the answer. And then when you find it, it's like a place you enter into.

You knock, a door opens and you have what you need. The point being, the process of asking God for things is not as simple as saying, please, I need this and then just waiting. No you ask, you seek the answer, and when you find it, you become someone new.

Closing Prayer

Father, when we ask you for something, give us the patience to wait for your answer. It comes often in ways that we would never expect. Help us to be on the alert when we ask you to do something, so that when you do it, we will receive it with a generous and thankful heart. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Kyle Cross