Today’s gospel (Matt 7:7-12) has us considering Jesus’ words…“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”
This reading is another example of Jesus telling us something that we can find hard to believe as true. Of course, we know Jesus cannot lie but our own live’s experiences of unanswered prayers and seeking without finding can make these verses ring hollow.
But, again, Jesus cannot lie so what are we to do? I suggest you take a moment this Lent and sit before the Lord in prayer and ask Him, quite directly, “Lord, when did you answer my prayers?” and get ready to write down your own list of miracles – both large and small.
I do not know what is on your list but mine certainly includes my husband, each of my children and quite recently, my eldest son getting a dream job in NYC. This same son, now 30, lived with us for some time while working part-time at a local college. I could not count the number of novenas, and Masses I offered up for him to just. get. out. of. my basement!
And every time I did, I kept saying ‘why is this taking so long?’, ‘isn’t God listening to me?’, and ‘what about those verses about prayers being answered?’
Well, God sometimes (often) takes His time; He’s in it for the long game and can’t be rushed. So, the newest addition to my list of answered prayers is my son’s new job at NYU! What’s on yours?
