REFLECTION FOR TODAY
October 7, 2021
By Fr. Andrew Ibegbulem, OSA
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…’” Lk. 11:5-6
Jesus used this parable from which our gospel reference of today formed part to teach the need to persevere in prayer, confident of the heavenly Father’s gift of the Holy Spirit to those who ask. Have you ever ponder how great and marvelous is it that God loves you? He sees all our imperfections and double-mindedness and still loves us.
Unless your friend were truly a very close friend, you may hesitate in waking them and their family at midnight to ask to borrow some food. And even if it were a very close friend, you would probably hesitate for fear of disturbing them. But in this parable, the “friend” is God.
Jesus just finished giving His disciples the “Our Father” prayer, and now He adds this parable as a way of expressing the great confidence and determination with which we must pray to the Father. The parable concludes by stating that even if the person in bed does not get up to meet the request, they will do so “because of his persistence.” And though God always is attentive to our prayer, our persistence is an essential quality we must have.
When we pray to God with persistence, never doubting the goodness and generosity of God, God will pour forth upon us everything that is good. Of course, if our prayer is for something that is selfish or not in accord with the will of God, then all the begging in the world will not be effective.
If God knows everything we need, why did Jesus teach us to ask, seek and knock? Is it to remind God of something he had forgotten? Not at all since God knows all thing. Rather our prayer and petitions remind us how needy we are. They testify to the fact that we are not self-sufficient and that are quite dependent on God.
When we save our prayer for something special or turn to God only when we are in extreme circumstances, we not only dishonor God, but we also do ourselves a great disservice. God wants us to continue to come to him as little children come to their parents. He will stop at nothing to care for us and give us the good gifts that we need. The sacrifice of His only Son on the cross is a proof. God could have abandoned us, but He did not because of his generous love for us.
Reflect, today, upon the importance of praying with the utmost fervor and persistence to God. Reflect, also, upon the importance of doing so with detachment. What does God want of you? What is His holy will for your life? Seek that will and that will alone with all your heart, and you will discover that His will truly will come to be in your life.
Lord, You are the best father I will ever know, You love us more than we will ever know, Your ears are always open to the smallest request that we have. Help me to grow in confidence in You and Your goodness. May I trust in You and believe with all my heart that You truly will bring forth Your holy will in my life if I only persist in prayer and trust. Jesus, I trust in You.