In today’s Gospel reading (Luke 11:1-13), Jesus exhorts us to persevere in prayer and trust in the infinite goodness of God: “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” (Lk 11:9-10). Prayer stretches our souls so that God is able to fill it with His gifts and love. When we ask for what we need in prayer, we confirm to ourselves that we cannot take care of everything on our own. We need God to help us; we must let go of self-reliance.
“All good giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights” (Jas 1:17)
It can be easy to forget to spend time with God in prayer. It’s easy to forget how much God takes care of us unless we regularly spend time with Him. Reminding ourselves of our dependence on God through daily prayer is key to being Christ-reliant instead of self-reliant.
But why must we ask repeatedly in prayer to have our needs met, as illustrated in today’s Gospel? Why doesn’t it work like this: we pray and then—BOOM—our prayer is fulfilled? For one reason, God isn’t a genie in a bottle, granting wishes with a snap of His fingers. Also, wouldn’t it be easy to become like petulant, spoiled children if we got everything we asked for instantly?
And so we pray, and we pray, and pray again with perseverance and trust. This is God’s way of stretching us by growing us in virtue. Talking with God in prayer opens our minds and hearts to be able to desire the good things God wants us to desire. To be able to follow His will. Just as we don’t become physically flexible after stretching your muscles once or twice, we don’t become spiritually “flexible” by praying once or twice. It’s a daily effort to remain dependent on God.
It can be hard to form new habits in the summer (at least for me). But this week, consider setting aside a few minutes each day for quiet prayer. Read a Psalm or the Gospel reading for the day, then meditate on what that means to you. Listen to hear God speaking to you. Then just talk to Him; bring Him your needs, your worries, your desires. Watch to see how God opens the door so you can understand and love Him more.
Come Holy Spirit, fill me with the desire to connect with You in prayer each day. Expand my heart and my mind to be open to Your Holy Will.
Readings for the Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
GENESIS 18: 20-32
PSALM 138: 1-8
COLOSSIANS 2: 12-14
LUKE 11: 1-13