Bible Diary

Daily Reading

Thursday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time

LECTIONARY
464

FIRST READING

Gal 3:1-5

O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by[a] the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith.

PSALM

LK 1:69-70, 71-72, 73-75

Response: 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.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.

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.

GOSPEL

Lk 11:5-13

And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs. And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Daily Reflection

‘For the one who asks receives… and to him who knocks the door will be opened.’ Jesus’ words have been a source of great consolation, for many thousands, over the centuries. They instill hope and remind us that we should be persistent in prayer, stay connected with God and seek His help.

Yet, at times, it seems that God does not listen to us. We have difficulty in accepting that God gives what is best for us and God alone knows what this is. To see more clearly, perhaps it would help to look at our lives as beautiful tapestries that God weaves with our talents and gifts. We fail to see the beauty because we view the tapestry from the reverse – our side of the picture - while God sees it in all its glory. So, too, with the responses we receive to our prayer – we fail to see their goodness because we look with mortal eyes.

And this is why we must stay steadfast in prayer, not for our material needs but for hearts that remain attuned to God.