Persistent

Today’s gospel is one of those that we know by heart, however, I wanted to reference another translation to give us some new eyes on it. This is from The Passion Translation:  “Ask, and the gift is yours. Seek, and you’ll discover. Knock, and the door will be opened for you. For every persistent one will get what he asks for. Every persistent seeker will discover what he longs for. And everyone who knocks persistently will one day find an open door. Do you know of any parent who would give his hungry child, who asked for food, a plate of rocks instead? Or when asked for a piece of fish, what parent would offer his child a snake instead? If you, imperfect as you are, know how to lovingly take care of your children and give them what’s best, how much more ready is your heavenly Father to give wonderful gifts to those who ask him?” The word that stands out to me is persistent. Jesus is teaching us that prayer should be an ongoing daily exchange with God. My favorite line above is, “Every persistent seeker will discover what they long for. And everyone who knocks persistently will one day find an open door.” To me this suggests that our commitment to seeking the Lord reveals His dreams and longings for us. What we thought we longed for at first will eventually transform into what God’s dream is for us. Through our persistence in coming into His presence, we learn His heart, we learn what gifts He has in mind for us, and we only want the doors that He has planned to be opened. Our faithfulness in asking, seeking, and knocking is the key to aligning our will with His, and then we know to ask for things like daily bread over a million dollars, and peace, joy, patience, self-control, over simply taking away a challenge. 

Again, God is constantly calling us to intimacy with Him so that we can rest our ear upon His heart and know what He would want for us. Notice how the example of the child asking for something was not for something inappropriate, simply food and fish because they were hungry. Intimacy with God gives us the insight to know what to ask, to know who to seek, and to know how to keep knocking until the right door is found. He wants us to be able to finish His sentences! How wonderful is that? So lean into His heart and keep asking, seeking, and knocking, and eventually you will discover all that He has planned for you. It is well with my soul. 

Reading 1 EST C:12, 14-16, 23-25

Queen Esther, seized with mortal anguish,
had recourse to the LORD.
She lay prostrate upon the ground, together with her handmaids,
from morning until evening, and said:
“God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob, blessed are you.
Help me, who am alone and have no help but you,
for I am taking my life in my hand.
As a child I used to hear from the books of my forefathers
that you, O LORD, always free those who are pleasing to you.
Now help me, who am alone and have no one but you,
O LORD, my God.

“And now, come to help me, an orphan.
Put in my mouth persuasive words in the presence of the lion
and turn his heart to hatred for our enemy,
so that he and those who are in league with him may perish.
Save us from the hand of our enemies;
turn our mourning into gladness
and our sorrows into wholeness.”

Responsorial Psalm 138:1-2AB, 2CDE-3, 7C-8

R.    (3a)  Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart,
for you have heard the words of my mouth;
in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;
I will worship at your holy temple
and give thanks to your name.
R.    Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
Because of your kindness and your truth;
for you have made great above all things
your name and your promise.
When I called, you answered me;
you built up strength within me.
R.    Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
Your right hand saves me.
The LORD will complete what he has done for me;
your kindness, O LORD, endures forever;
forsake not the work of your hands.
R.    Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.

Verse Before The GospelPS 51:12A, 14A

A clean heart create for me, O God;
give me back the  joy of your salvation.

Gospel MT 7:7-12

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Ask and it will be given to you;
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.
Which one of you would hand his son a stone
when he asked for a loaf of bread,
or a snake when he asked for a fish?
If you then, who are wicked,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your heavenly Father give good things
to those who ask him.

“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.
This is the law and the prophets.”