Yesterday’s
gospel (in the ordinary readings of the day) on the Lord’s prayer, and today’s on the added emphasis on persistence should be enough for us to
have absolute trust in God – who already
knows our needs before we ask him – but who still insists that we “go
through the motion” of asking anyway! The family relationship that he wants
with us is not to be the “why can’t you read my mind” kind of dysfunctional
family interacting. He wants us to confidently, trustingly and lovingly ask for
what we think we need, and if it is truly what we do need, we will get it. The
“password” for this type of healthy family life is this: “if it be your will!”
“I think I need this, Father, but what do you think, and in the end I choose
what you want instead of what I might want:
your will be done.”
The first
reading today warns
of what happens to those who count themselves out of God’s family and insist on
their own everything: they will end up in
a place of unquenchable fire. The just, on the other hand, the ones who are
in right relationship with God – knowing they are his children, his servants in
building a unique and wonderful kingdom -
will be safe in a land prepared for them of cool refreshing waters, and green
and luscious meadows.
Where we want to
end up depends on our
day-to-day decisions: either we ask God for what he wants for us, or we demand
what we want – and take our chances!
Open our hearts, O Lord, to listen to
the words of your Son.
No comments:
Post a Comment