Reading 1
Gal 3:1-5
O stupid Galatians!
Who has bewitched you,
before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?
I want to learn only this from you:
did you receive the Spirit from works of the law,
or from faith in what you heard?
Are you so stupid?
After beginning with the Spirit,
are you now ending with the flesh?
Did you experience so many things in vain?–
if indeed it was in vain.
Does, then, the one who supplies the Spirit to you
and works mighty deeds among you
do so from works of the law
or from faith in what you heard?
Luke 1:69-70, 71-72, 73-75
Responsorial PsalmR.
(68) Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
born of the house of his servant David.
R. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people.
Through his holy prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
R. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.
R. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
R. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; He has come to his people.
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?”
Meditation: Luke 11:5-13
“How much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?” (Luke 11:13)
Most of us are familiar with temptation. We know when we’re being tempted to lust, envy, or greed. But what about the temptation to doubt God’s goodness? Have you ever doubted that God has really forgiven your sins? Or that he will ever fulfill his plans for you? Have you ever doubted his willingness to bless you, even when you know he has the power to do so? While we may not think this way constantly, we’ve all done so at one time or another.
In these few words, Jesus challenged his disciples—and each of us—to put aside any doubts about the Father’s care. He knows how fragile our trust can be. Ever since Satan asked Eve, “Did God really tell you not to eat from any of the trees in the garden?” we’ve been inclined to mistrust our heavenly Father (Genesis 3:1). We think that we have to get by on our own, but Jesus wants us to know God the Father for who he is—Love!
If we listen carefully, we can almost hear the urgency in Jesus’ words: “Go ahead! Seek and you will find. Please, I beg you, knock! The door will be opened! Ask my Dad. Just ask him, and you will receive!” Jesus is confident that if we only knew the Father the way he knows him, our joy would be complete and unassailable (John 15:11). That’s why Jesus died for us, after all. He wanted to set us free from sin so that we could be reunited with God and share in his incredible goodness.
So how will you respond to Jesus’ question? Have you accepted the fact that you are indeed God’s son or daughter? If not, take the plunge! The next time you need something, try asking him with a more expectant faith. We already know that he hears our prayers and that he only wants the best for us. We’ve been sealed with the blood of his son, Jesus, so we can approach his throne with confidence. The simple fact is, nothing is impossible for God!
“Lord, thank you for revealing your Father to me! Help me to know him as my Father too, and to trust in his love and compassion.”
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