Ask, seek and knock

Lord, give us hope today. Give us hope in our own lives that we may follow in the ways of your Son, Jesus Christ. Allow us to really listen to you, Lord, and to answer your call with hope and joy to glorify your name.

Jesus is such a wonderful teacher. He knows that some of us have given up on turning to God. You may know someone who has. It's the confusion that the prophet Malachi writes about.  (Malachi 3:13-20)  The people are noticing that "indeed evildoers prosper, and even tempt God with impunity." Oh, we don't deny God's existence or "lose our faith," but we've "grown up" and don't turn to God "for every little thing" any more.

Some of us have had the experience that we have asked, and asked for some really important things, at times we thought that we (or someone we love), was in real need. And, we didn't receive.  At least that’s OUR perception.

Some of us just feel like Charlie Brown.  Lucy wants him to kick the ball, and Charlie really wants to kick it.  At the last minute, Lucy pulls the ball away and Charlie ends up flat on his back. It happens time after time. Our experience of not getting what we've asked for is just too great for us to try it again.

Jesus really is inviting us to give it another try. And, I imagine Jesus just smiling when we say, "Forget it." He understands our frustration and He so wants to help us. Jesus, the wise Teacher, takes us just a little bit deeper. He isn't going to tell me that I've been asking for the wrong things - though, of course, some of the things we've all asked for haven't been the things He's wanted to give us.

What He promises us is that God will give us the Holy Spirit when we ask Him. Wow. How many times did it never occur to me to ask for the Holy Spirit! The good Teacher is helping me see that in all my seeking and knocking and asking, my learning to ask for the Holy Spirit will always be rewarded. That is the gift God wants to give us. And, it is always what we need. Whether my hunger, anxiety, pain is small or unimaginably great, the Holy Spirit will always give me hope and courage and peace. And, the Holy Spirit will always keep us close to our Lord.

When we find ourselves whining, it may be helpful to ask what is so awful about living in service of our God and one another.  What is so distasteful about acting justly, loving tenderly, and walking humbly with our God?  What has happened to my value system that the material pleasures of those who seem far from God are more attractive than walking with Jesus at my side?

Through the prophet Malachi, God speaks similar words.  “To those of you who trust I say: ‘You are mine’.  I will make the sun of justice shine on you with its healing rays.”  These are words of love and consolation for those who pray (and even lament) with persistence.

If this month that is dedicated to the Holy Rosary is about anything, it is about trusting persistence in prayer, not whining because I have not yet gotten what I want.  There is certainly room for a compassionate lament that the love of Jesus and Mary for this human race so often goes unrequited, but that is very different from whining.  Jesus says, “Keep asking…keep seeking…keep knocking.”  (Luke 11:5-13) It is not just about persistence, but persistence with a good friend who can be counted on.  God is a better parent to us than we are to our own charges. Let's try it next time. Whenever we are in need, and we're tempted not to pray, let's seek, knock, and ask for the Holy Spirit.