Reflection: Luke 11:1-4

October 7^th: Wednesday of the 27^th Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 11:1-4

In this reading from Luke’s Gospel, Jesus presents a scenario to his disciples.  Suppose you have an unexpected guest who shows up in the middle of the night.  Now this friend has traveled quite a distance and is hungry.  However, you don’t have any food in the house.  It’s late and all the markets are closed.  Thus, the only option available was to go next-door and ask a neighbor for some food . 

 

However, in this scenario when the man goes to his neighbor’s house and says: “I need some bread,” this neighbor tells him to leave him alone!  After all, it was the middle of the night and everyone was in bed asleep.  However, the man persisted.  He did not leave but rather continued to ask!  Finally the neighbor opens the door and gives the man some bread.  He did this not because he wanted to but rather he simply wanted to silence this neighbor so he could get some sleep.  And so it was!  The neighbor was grateful for the food and the man finally went back to bed.  As we know, if the man had not been persistent in his request for food, he and his guest would have gone to bed hungry.

 

Jesus encourages us to be persistent as well as patient.  He tells us that if we ask, we will receive.  And if we knock, eventually the door will be opened.  And if we are steadfast in our seeking, we will find.  The question for us may be: Will we patiently wait?  Do we truly trust that Jesus will open the door to us?  Do we believe that Jesus will satisfy our hunger?  Only we can answer those questions.  Do we trust that Jesus will gift and grace us with what we truly need?  I pray we do!  He will not fail us!