Thursday of the Twenty-Seventh Week in OT

The Gospel passage from Luke 11:5-13 teaches us about the importance of persistence in prayer. Jesus tells a story about a friend who asks for bread in the middle of the night and is initially denied, but because of his persistence, he eventually receives what he needs. Jesus encourages us to keep asking, seeking, and knocking, for God desires to respond to our prayers. He compares God's generosity to that of a loving parent who gives good gifts to their children. Ultimately, God desires to give us the Holy Spirit and abundant life. We are invited to reflect on this passage, speak to Jesus, and let His word grow in us throughout the day. Greetings friends, what a joy to share the Gospel. To prepare ourselves to encounter Jesus, present to us now through His Word, let's take a moment to quiet ourselves. If you will, take a deep breath, slowly in, and slowly out. Come, Lord Jesus, allow Your Holy Spirit to bring Your Word to life in me. May I hear Your voice, Good Shepherd. We begin our prayer with the Gospel by reading the passage so as to become familiar with it and to begin to touch the movement of the Holy Spirit mediated through it. On this Thursday of the 27th week in Ordinary Time, we read from Luke's Gospel, chapter 11, verses 5 through 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? Jesus in this passage continues his teaching on prayer that we began yesterday. William Wright provides a wonderful key into understanding this most precious teaching of our Lord. He points out that, quote, these blocks of teaching on prayer all involve different interpersonal relationships. By this they underscore the interpersonal and relational nature of prayer, close quote. Notice, when Jesus speaks of prayer, the examples he uses are of friendship and parental love. Indeed, as Wright says, interpersonal relationships. This as well is what energizes and inspires the persistence of prayer that Jesus insists on. Keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking. Why? Because a friend will answer you. A loving, caring parent will respond generously. God desires to be asked, sought after, and to have us knock at his door. He desires to respond to us as a good, good Father. In hearing the word proclaimed a second time, notice, once again, what the word stirs in your heart, your mind, your imagination, opening you in trust of the Father's love for you. Once again, we open ourselves to the word as we read Luke 11, verses 5 through 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? We come now to the second step of our prayer with the gospel, meditation. Here we pause to ponder and reflect on what has stood out to us, that word, phrase or impression from the gospel. I so love this solemn word of promise from the lips of our Lord, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him? The Father desires, out of the reservoir of his infinite goodness, to give us his very self, his divine life, the Holy Spirit. I ask so often for such little things, mostly those things that are a source of anxiety and obsession. All the while, the Father desires to give me life and life in abundance. Dear Father, pour out your life upon me, your precious Holy Spirit. Friends, again, let me invite you to sit with this gospel passage. How is it moving within you at this moment? In prayer, speak to Jesus and listen to Jesus about what his word is doing in your spirit now. Before leaving prayer, be sure to intentionally place the word you have received deep in your spirit where the Lord might bring it growth throughout this day. And friends, it is a joy to share the gospel with you. Amen. Amen. Amen.