Esther 14:1.3-4.11.13-14;
Psalm 138:1-2a.2bcd-3.7d-8;
Matthew 7: 7- 12 Full Readings
Ask and you will Receive.
Brethren, in today’s first reading, Esther is on her knees asking the Lord to intervene in her situation so that she can convince her husband, the king of Persia, not to terminate the Jews in the far-flung Persian Empire, and indeed the Lord God heard her, and her prayer was answered and the lives of many were saved. 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.
Brethren, if Jesu told us to ask and we shall receive, knock and the door will be opened, why then is it that some of our prayers are not answered? Petitionary prayer is certainly a problem theologically. We address our prayers to God as a child would persuade a parent, begging to be allowed some indulgence, ‘Mummy, may I stay up late?’ But do we really think that God is going to change the course of the world, put the normal causes into reverse, at our prayers? What if one person is praying for fine weather at the seaside while a farmer is praying for rain to raise his crops? What if two opposing teams are praying for victory in a sports fixture? Does the most fervent side win? God cannot please both of us.
The fact is that God knows everything, and so knows what we want. But then, if so, is there any point in telling him about it?
Brethren, praying is an expression of trust and affection, in the same way that we tell those we love that we love them, though they know it well already. Certainly every prayer includes a sort of sub-text of trust in God as Father. Certainly (like begging children) we try to behave a little better, so that we may deserve the prayer to be granted. Part of our prayer is to tell our Father that we trust him, and trust that he will do whatever is best for us and for others. So the sub-text always includes, though perhaps rather grudgingly, ‘thy will be done on earth as in heaven’. We do pray that our prayer may be granted, but at the same time we pray that we may have the trust in God to accept whatever he sends us, granting that we may not know what is best for us in these particular circumstances.
Why are some of our prayers not answered by God? James 4:2-3 says "...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: Faithless, Wavering faith, Great faith. We must pass these through stages successively and at the last stage, we will surely get what we ask of the Lord.
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 continue to bless us with his bounty.
Let us Pray
Lord, you are the giver of all good things. Sometimes I get caught up in this world, becoming attached to its goods and forgetting that you give gifts of infinite value. Lord, please help me to seek what is truly valuable. I desire to belong completely to you. Please, continue to draw me near. Amen
Blessed Lent
May Your Will be done in my life
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