Meditation for the Day

Thursday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time, October 7

With Confidence and Perseverance, May We Never Hesitate to Seek God’s Providential Care in All Our Needs, for We Truly Are His Children; for He Truly Is Our Most Loving and Merciful Father.

We hear our Lord saying to us in today’s Gospel, “…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.”

How often do we find ourselves presenting a laundry list of problems that we would like God to fix for us? How often do we find ourselves placing our needs and concerns at the very feet of God Himself? More often than not, when we are in need, in a prayerful manner, we find ourselves talking to God – more of a conversation than formalized prayer which we memorized as a child.

But, no matter how we pray, at least when we present our needs and our wishes before our Lord, we have taken the time to acknowledge that God is the only One who is truly able to address our deepest concerns.

And no matter what our conversation with God may be about, we almost always feel better after having spent some quality time speaking to Him. It is as though He comforts us by our choosing to spend some personal time with the God who loves each one of us beyond all manner of human description.

“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?”

Yet, we also know that, even though God does listen to and answer every one of our requests, His answers may not always be what we had requested, or what we had thought of or expected, or in the timeliness that we would desire.

Sometimes, our requests may be based upon vanity or selfish thinking, or they may not be compatible with His will for us. When our own ego and sense of self-importance become impediments for us, we oftentimes confuse the voice of God or misunderstand His answer to us. In these instances, God’s answers aren’t necessarily what we sought.

It is only when we seek God with a humbled and contrite heart that we begin to understand the age-old adage, “When God closes a door, somewhere He opens a window.”

This was the case with the Jewish people who had returned from the Babylonian exile some five hundred and thirty years before the birth of Christ, who we read about today in our First Reading from the Book of the Prophet Malachi. This was God’s chosen people who had turned their backs on their Creator. These were people who had lost their way in a life of pagan worship and idolatrous pleasures!

Yet, in the midst of their anguish due to their exile, God did not abandon them. Even after their return to the land of their fathers, many still could not find it in their hearts to be repentant. Yet, God would still open a window for those who were filled with a righteous fear of the Lord.

And out of a deep love for His children, God promised, “But for you who fear my name, there will arise the sun of justice with its healing rays” – a prophecy the Church sees in the Life, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ!

And this window which God opened has given us reconciliation with Himself. This window which God opened has given to each of us the gift of faith in His Only-Begotten Son, who has come into the world to teach us that God is Love, who has come into the world to draw all people to Himself.

It is you and I and all people of good faith who embrace the mind and the will of a Loving and Merciful God about whom our psalmist is speaking today, “Blessed the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked, nor walks in the way of sinners, nor sits in the company of the insolent, but delights in the law of the LORD.”

To “delight in the law of the Lord” is to pray for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. It is to pray for a greater awareness and a greater understanding of what God is asking of both you and me in our daily lives.

And it is this type of prayer, it is this type of request which is most pleasing to God and compatible with His will for us. “…how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”

We know that life does not come neatly gift wrapped with an attractive bow on it. Life can be difficult at times. Life can have its wonderful highs, but it can also have its tremendous lows. All we have to do is look at the life of our Blessed Mother, as I have mentioned in previous meditations, to understand that we are not alone in our sufferings in this life, for she is one who truly understands the agonies that the heart must sometimes bear.

But in the midst of the lows, in the midst of the trials and the hardships which each one of us at times must endure, our Lord, in today’s Gospel, is filling us with hope – “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…”

May we never forget that our God is a God who truly understands our human condition. May we always remember that our God is a God who is filled with limitless compassion, mercy and understanding. And may we never doubt God’s Infinite Love which He holds for each and every one of us!

With confidence and perseverance, may we never hesitate to seek His providential care in all our needs, for we truly are His children; for He truly is our Most Loving and Merciful Father! †

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Please Comment, Like and Share, and Suggest to your Facebook friends – to spread the message of God’s Merciful Love.

Por favor Comente, Le Gusta y Comparta, y Sugiera a tus amigos en Facebook – en difundir el mensaje del Misericordioso Amor de Dios.

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Scripture for the Day

• “But for you who fear my name, the sun of justice will arise with healing…” (Malachi 3:20a)
• “Blessed the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in company with scoffers. Rather, the law of the LORD is his joy; and on his law he meditates day and night.” (Psalm 1:1-2)
• “Therefore, do not throw away your confidence; it will have great recompense. You need endurance to do the will of God and receive what he has promised.” (Hebrews 10:35-36)
• “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.” (Luke 11:8)
• “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.” (Luke 11:9-10)
• “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?” (Luke 11:13)
• “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you.” (John 15:7)
• “Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. And let perseverance be perfect, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4)
• “Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.” (Philippians 4:6)
• “Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer.” (Romans 12:12)
• “So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.” (Hebrews 4:16)
• “Let us hold unwaveringly to our confession that gives us hope, for he who made the promise is trustworthy.” (Hebrews 10:23)

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Prayer for the Day

“I asked God for strength, that I might achieve;
I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey.
I asked for health that I might do great things;
was given sickness that I might do better things.

“I asked for riches, that I might be happy;
I was given poverty, that I might be wise.
I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men;
I was given weakness, that I might feel the need for God.

“I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life;
I was given life, that I might enjoy all things.
I received nothing I asked for – but everything I hoped for.
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayer was answered;
I am, among all men, most richly blessed.”

Anonymous Confederate Soldier (from the U.S. Civil War)