Prayer needs perseverance

October 6, Thursday of the 27th Week in Ordinary Time
Daily Readings: Galatians 3:1-5 Gospel: Luke 11:5-13

“He will get up because you are a brother to him, and he will give you all you need.”

In today’s Gospel, one man has a guest and nothing to offer the guest.  He went to his neighbour and borrows three loaves of bread. Although he did not want to get up to lend the loaves because his wife and children were asleep, he lent the loaves due to his repeated asking. This parable teaches us that when we pray to God, we need to pray with perseverance.

In the Gospel, a widow asked the judge repeatedly for justice. Finally, the judge who does not fear God, settled her case, to avoid her. The lesson is that we need to pray with perseverance.

“If your child asks for a fish, will you give a snake instead? And if your child asks for an egg, will you give a scorpion? Even you evil people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more then will the Father in heaven give Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”   

Sometimes, when the child asks for the fire or the knife to play with, do the parents give the child what they ask? No. Why? The parents foresee the dangers to their child. But the child did not know why their parents do not give them what they ask. Likewise, we do not know why our prayers are not answered but the almighty and all-knowing God knows our future ahead. If we pray with perseverance, we will be given a much better blessing than what we asked for.

Thus, when we pray, we need perseverance and trust in God who will give us the suitable and more than what we ask.