Daily Readings - Thu Oct 07 2021
Luke
5Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,6because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.'7"Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.'8I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.9"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.10For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.11"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?12Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?13If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
Sermon
The Gospel today presents us with a vivid parable about persistence in prayer, a teaching that Jesus uses to encourage His disciples to trust in God’s generosity. The parable describes a man who, despite being inconvenienced by a friend’s late-night request for bread, eventually relents because of the friend’s persistence. Jesus then connects this to prayer, assuring us that if even a reluctant human friend will respond to persistence, how much more will our heavenly Father, who is infinitely good and loving, respond to our persistent prayers. He emphasizes that God, unlike humans, will never give us something harmful but will instead give us the Holy Spirit, the greatest gift of all.
This teaching comes in the context of Jesus’ broader instruction on prayer, which is rooted in the understanding that God is a loving Father who desires to give good things to His children. The parable challenges us to reflect on our own approach to prayer. Do we pray with the kind of persistence and trust that Jesus is encouraging? Or do we give up easily when our prayers seem unanswered? The passage reminds us that prayer is not about wearing God down but about deepening our relationship with Him and trusting in His love and providence.
In our daily lives, this teaching invites us to embrace a spirit of perseverance and faith. When we face challenges or uncertainties, we are called to bring them before God with confidence, knowing that He hears us and desires to provide for us in ways that align with His will. This doesn’t mean that every prayer will be answered as we expect, but it does mean that God is always working for our good, even when we don’t see it immediately. Let us, therefore, approach prayer with persistence, trust, and openness to the ways God chooses to answer us.