6-Oct-16

Gospel LK 11:5-13
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Suppose one of you has a friend
to whom he goes at midnight and says,
‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,
for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey
and I have nothing to offer him,’
and he says in reply from within,
‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked
and my children and I are already in bed.
I cannot get up to give you anything.’
I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves
because of their friendship,
he will get up to give him whatever he needs
because of his persistence.
“And I tell you, ask and you will receive;
seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives;
and the one who seeks, finds;
and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
What father among you would hand his son a snake
when he asks for a fish?
Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg?
If you then, who are wicked,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit
to those who ask him?"
Reflection:
There are times that we do not seek God. To knock on God's door calls us to let go of those things that separate us from Him.
Our Father is not intrusive; He will not force His way into our life. But, neither does our loving Father abandon us to suffer the consequences of our folly.
He waits for us to become open to the sound of His voice.
Then, in the words of Hosea, He calls to us in the depths of our suffering: "Come back to me with all your heart. Don't let fear keep us apart."
In trepidation, we hesitate.
Do we dare to "let go" of the false sense of security that we receive from the things that separate us from God?
If we open the door to His knock, will He really be standing there to embrace us?
"If you then, who are wicked,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit
to those who ask him?”
We are like a small child sitting on a tree branch.
Our Father stands below with arms outstretched.
Smiling, He says, "Trust me! Jump, I will catch you."
"Look back and see how God works in your life. He closes doors no man can open and He opens doors no man can close." - - Unknown