Ask and you will receive.

You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

When we pray within His will, in the authority of Jesus,

persistently, unselfishly, and in faith, we will receive what we need.

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Genesis 18:20-32

Then the Lord said,

"How great is the cry for justice against Sodom and Gomorrah! And how grievous is their sin!

I am going down to see if they have done all that they are charged

with in the outcry that has reached me. If it is not so, I will know."

 

The men with him turned away and went towards Sodom, but the Lord remained standing before Abraham.

Abraham went forward and said, "Will you really let the just perish with the wicked? Perhaps there are fifty good people in the town.

Are you really going to let them perish? Would you not spare the place for the sake of these fifty righteous people?

It would not be at all like you to do such a thing and you can't let the good perish with the wicked,

nor treat the good and the wicked alike.  Far be it from you! Will not the judge of all the earth be just?" The Lord said,

"If I find fifty good people in Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake."

 

Abraham spoke up again, "I know that I am very bold to speak like this to my Lord, I who am only dust and ashes!

But perhaps the number of the good is five less than fifty. Will you destroy the town because of five?"The Lord replied,

"I will not destroy the town if I find forty-five good people there." Again Abraham said to him, "Perhaps there will be only forty."

He answered, "For the sake of forty I will not do it."

 

Abraham went on, saying, "May my Lord not be angry,

but let me speak. Maybe only thirty good people will be found in the town." The Lord answered, "

I will not destroy it if I find thirty there." Abraham said, "Now that I have been so bold as to speak to my Lord,

what if only twenty can be found?" He said, "For the sake of twenty I will not destroy the place!"

But Abraham insisted, "May my Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found?"

And the Lord answered, "For the sake of ten good people, I will not destroy Sodom."

 

Ps 138:1-2, 2-3, 6-7, 7-8 Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.

 

＊＊＊ 2nd Reading ＊＊＊

Colossians 2:12-14

I refer to baptism. On receiving it, you were buried with Christ; and you also rose with him,

for having believed in the power of God who raised him from the dead.

You were dead. You were in sin and uncircumcised at the same time.

 

But God gave you life with Christ. He forgave all our sins.

He canceled the record of our debts, those regulations which accused us.

He did away with all that, and nailed it to the cross.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊      

Luke 11:1-13

One day, Jesus was praying in a certain place; and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him,

"Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples." And Jesus said to them, "When you pray, say this:

Father, may your name be held holy, may your kingdom come; give us, each day, the kind of bread we need,

and forgive us our sins; for we also forgive all who do us wrong; and do not bring us to the test."

 

Jesus said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and goes to his house in the middle of the night and says,

'Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine who is traveling has just arrived, and I have nothing to offer him.'

Maybe your friend will answer from inside, 'Don't bother me now; the door is locked, and my children and I are in bed,

so I can't get up and give you anything.' But I tell you, even though he will not get up and attend to you because you are a friend,

yet he will get up because you are a bother to him, and he will give you all you need.

 

And so I say to you, 'Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock,

and it will be opened to you. For the one who asks receives,

and the one who searches finds, and to him who knocks the door will be opened.

If your child asks for a fish, will you give him a snake instead? And if your child asks for an egg,

will you give him a scorpion? If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children,

how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.'"

 

Lectio Divina

 

Gospel Reflection ：

"Ask and you will receive."

Read: Abraham is persistent in his pleas for mercy from God for the innocent few of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Jesus teaches the disciples to pray the Lord's prayer and to persevere in their requests.

Saint Paul says that for believing in the power of Christ, we had risen to new life through Baptism.

 

Reflect: Saint Bonaventure says that "perseverance will win the prize."

Today's readings encourage us to think about the importance of persistence in making our petitions to God.

Our persistence in asking is a measure of our hope in him. And so, we are not to throw in the towel only after a short while,

but persevere in seeking God's help. "Ask and you will receive," says Jesus, but God also tests our resolve and our trust in him.

The Lord's prayer includes a petition that God will sustain us and give us what we need this very day.

This is one reason why the Lord's prayer is a daily prayer. We persist in asking for God's help each day, that he will grant us what we need today.

 

Pray: Meditate slowly on the Lord's prayer. Ask the Lord for your greatest need.

 

Act: Take on a commitment to pray each day for peace, for the spread of the Gospel or for another intention.