First Reading: Esther 12: 14-16, 23-25.
Psalm 138: 1-2ab, 2cde-3, 7c-8
Gospel 7:7-12 Full Readings
Ask the Lord and you will receive.
Esther is on her knees asking the Lord to intervene in her situation and indeed the Lord heard her, and was delivered and saved her from the hands of the enemy. In Gospel Jesus also encourages us to ask and receive, knock and the door shall be open, seek and we shall find. This means everything we want is there waiting for us, God Waits for our initiative to ask what we receive, for He is always ready to give.
As I was reflecting with my friend, he asked me, why then is it that some of our prayers are not answered, since God gives whatever we ask. I referred to him to James 4:2-3 "...You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures."
What do we ask of the Lord? Is what we ask for my good, the good of my neighbor and the good of all, or for selfish gains? How does it help your spiritual growth? I am sure, if it is what we deserve, God will give us, if we have good motives, the we will receive, a father cannot give a knife to his child, to cut himself, otherwise, he is not a good father. Let's ask for what will help us to be with God, with self and with the neighbors in good terms, then we will receive.
We don't get what we ask because sometimes we ask with no faith, we are doubting. We remember three levels of faith,
1. Faithless
2. Wavering faith
3. Great faith.
James tells us again, faithless cannot receive anything from God, unless they heed to his word (1:5-8) If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
Jesus again tells us everything we ask we will get but with faith Mt: 21:22 And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith. Therefore if we ask with great faith we will receive. I would like to end with the Golden Rule, Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. In this context, if we don't give to others how do we expect to receive from them, if also we don't give God our loyalty, ourselves, our talents, and our whole self to serve him and his people how do we expect him to give us too. Alms giving is fundamental to Christian Life let's practice it and God will reward us with what we truly need. May God bless you as you reflect with me.
Blessed Lent
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