12 October , 2023 | Thursday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time

 Gospel Lk 11:5-13

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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?"

Reflections:

Jesus is reminding us that God will answer our prayers. If a person attends to the need of his friend because of his persistence, God will certainly answer us too when we seek him in our need. Jesus tells us to pray knowing that God always responds to our prayers. When the children ask for things, the necessities of life, and the parents try their best to grant them their need, so also our heavenly Father.  Jesus reminds us to preserve the nature of children who are not afraid to ask their parents for anything because they know they can count completely on their love. God delights in answering our prayers and giving us good things. In fact God gives us the best gift of all – the Holy Spirit, the One in whom we share in God’s very life.

Activity: 

Thank God many times during the day for the gift of the Holy Spirit.