Thursday of the First Week of Lent
Esth C: 12, 14-16, 23-25; Mt 7: 7-12
Dc. Larry Brockman
So, all we have to do is ask and it will be given to us! Now I know there are some of you out there who are chuckling over that one. A kind of a cynical chuckle, too. Because there are lots of times we ask for things from the Lord and it seems like we don’t get them. So, how can it be that our prayers are always answered?
Well, first notice that our Gospel ends with what seems like a disconnect, something that does not appear to be all that relevant to Jesus claim that God will always answer our prayers. Jesus says: “Do to others whatever you would have them do to you”. But I think these words from Jesus do help explain the paradox of God answering our prayers when we don’t feel that He has. Because God is doing to us what we would do ourselves if we had the knowledge, wisdom, and ability that God has.
Think of it this way, and this is a pretty accurate analogy when you really think it through. When a very young child asks you for something, do you always give them what they want, or do you sometimes, even most of the time, give them something else altogether, and even in some cases, don’t give them anything at all? You better believe it. And the reason is that you have their best interests at stake. You know better than they do what is good and what is bad for them in a given situation, and in fact, you are only doing for them what you would wish they would do for you if the situation were reversed. That’s why I wouldn’t give my granddaughter the poker for the fire last weekend or give my grandson a third piece of candy when he wanted it, and why I wouldn’t let either of them play near my neighbor’s electric fence. And clearly, there are times these young children don’t understand. They can even feel upset and hurt by our lack of responsiveness,
Well, it is the same way between God and us. God sees what is really best for us. Sometimes that promotion, that job, that position on the team, that car, and lots of other things that we want are not what is best for us at all. Occasionally we are lucky enough to recognize the wisdom of God’s actions or lack of action after the fact. Like when something better came along and we see that we really didn’t want what we originally wanted anyway.
Now a lot of it has to do with what we pray for and how we pray for it. A mature attitude in prayer really helps- by asking for what we really do need in a really effective way. The story from Esther is a great example of how we should pray, particularly when we are faced with really difficult situations. Esther’s was a really dire situation. Although she was married to the King, the King had been tricked by an unscrupulous person into ordering all of Esther’s people killed. Notice that Esther does several things in her prayer. First, she gives praise and acknowledges God. Then, she is extremely humble and sincere in her request. Next, she is more concerned for others than her own self. And, she turns control over to the Lord. Lastly and most importantly, she is willing to do her part. Esther is not asking for some miracle, but rather, she is asking for inspiration. She says “Put in my mouth persuasive words in the presence of the lion and turn his heart to hatred for the enemy”! Esther’s prayer was answered, too.
God always answers our prayers. But we must ask in the right way, and ask for what is really best for us. Otherwise, God will give us what is ultimately the best for us. And like a small child, we may be too into ourselves and not into God’s plan to recognize what is best for us.
