Perseverance in Prayer (Luke 11:5-13)
Today’s gospel follows Luke’s version of the Lord’s Prayer where we hear a kind of parable on prayer. A friend is in need of bread and has to bother someone at midnight. In other words, after teaching about the structure of prayer – seeking God’s will first, then our needs – Jesus turns to persistence in prayer.
In the time of Christ, many times the whole family lived together in a one-room house. On one side of the house, there was a raised platform where they all slept. Down on the ground were all their animals – sheep, goats, etc. By coming to the door, then, one disturbed the whole house. It took a lot of boldness for a man to ask his friend at midnight for bread! Apparently, he really needs bread! St. Thérèse says about confidence: We can never have too much confidence in the good God… As we hope in Him so shall we receive.
Interestingly, the man inside (who is quite annoyed!) will only give the bread if one of two things are true. First, if they have a friendship. In other words, the man inside with his family is willing to give what he has because of their friendship. One of the great gifts our Lord gives to us is friendship. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father (Jn 15:5).
Second, if there is no friendship, the reluctant neighbor will give the bread because of persistence. Our Lord then uses a common Jewish teaching method – from the lesser to the greater. If the reluctant neighbor is willing to give bread to one who is persistent, how much more will our Father in heaven be willing to give good gifts to those who ask Him? If our heavenly Father is willing to give gifts to those who are not friends but persistent, how much more if they are friends. J
Jesus ends this little section on a great note of hope. Our heavenly Father wants to give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him! The greatest gift you could ask of God is God Himself. There is a story about the great Saint Thomas Aquinas where he prayed toward the crucifix and wept. A voice suddenly came from the crucifix: “Thou has written well of me, Thomas. What reward wilt thou have?” “Nothing but Yourself” replied the saint. In short, St. Thomas only wanted God.
St. Teresa of Avila famously said, “For prayer is nothing else than being on terms of friendship with God, frequently conversing in secret with Him who, we know, loves us.” Whether you have a deep friendship with Christ or are just strong willed (or maybe both!), ask our Lord for what you need today, but ultimately, for God Himself who is our greatest love!
~St. Thérèse, pray for us!