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First Reading: Gal 3:1–5
O stupid Galatians!
Who has bewitched you,
before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?
I want to learn only this from you:
did you receive the Spirit from works of the law,
or from faith in what you heard?
Are you so stupid?
After beginning with the Spirit,
are you now ending with the flesh?
Did you experience so many things in vain?–
if indeed it was in vain.
Does, then, the one who supplies the Spirit to you
and works mighty deeds among you
do so from works of the law
or from faith in what you heard?
Responsorial Psalm: Luke 1:69-70, 71-72, 73-75
R./ 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.
R./ Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people.
Through his holy prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
R./ Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.
R./ Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people.
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.
R./ Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people.
Gospel Reading: Lk 11:5-13
Jesus said to his disciples, "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 a snake instead? And if your child asks for an egg, will you give a scorpion? Even you evil people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more then will the Father in heaven give holy spirit to those who ask him!"
Dear brothers and sisters,
Jesus says we should ask God for what we need and trust that he will give it to us.
Sometimes what we ask for is the problem. We ask God to fix our lives, which is our responsibility. How many times did we ask God to help us pass exams when we were young? We forgot that God gave us our intelligence and time. We must use them to work. God has done his part. Now it is up to us. God is not a cure-all. We must take responsibility.
We can give other examples. If we have problems at home, we must pray and use the remedies God has given us: our intelligence, courage, capacity for dialogue, capacity for forgiveness and reconciliation. This is God’s answer to our prayers. We must use it to solve our problems. We cannot just close our eyes and expect God to work a miracle.
God gives us his Holy Spirit, strength and grace. He has put the Gospel in our hands and made us free to make decisions. We can ask him to help us become freer, more mature, more responsible and to forgive more. He will give us these things. He will not give us an exam.
Godgossip
Opening Prayer
Lord our God,
when we cry out to you,
we wonder at times whether you hear us
for your silence is sometimes oppressive.
Keep us trusting in your goodness
and your constant presence.
Give us what is good when we ask you,
and also when we forget to ask,
let us find you when we seek you,
open to us when we knock,
in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Liturgy of the Word
First Reading Introduction
Like the Galatians, we fall easily prey to the perpetual temptation of creating our own righteousness, of trying to save ourselves by rites and practices. These give us a feeling of security. And then, comes the thought, usually disguised: If I am above reproach, if I have done my duty, I am safe. In no uncertain terms Paul tells us: you are saved not by the Law but by faith in Christ.
Gospel Introduction
Luke tells us that Jesus prayed often. And insistently, as at his agony. Now he tells us that Jesus wants us too to be persevering, insistent and even bold in our prayer. For God is good. How can he resist us when we pray? He will give us not only good things but also the Holy Spirit, the gift that contains all gifts.
General Intercessions
- For those in the Church to whom the ministry of forgiveness had been especially entrusted, that they may be uncompromising with evil, yet welcome sinners with respect and merciful love, we pray:
- For contemplative monks and nuns, that we may appreciate their life of penance and prayer and be grateful for the Lord's blessings they obtain for us, we pray:
- For all Christians, that our prayers for the poor and the suffering may commit us more to bring them justice, to lighten their burdens and restore their dignity, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord our God,
you let us experience your goodness
by giving us Jesus, your Son.
In these signs of bread and wine
we express our trust in you.
Be merciful to us and hear our prayers.
Grant us the bread of your Son
and the things we need in life
for the sake of Jesus Christ,
you Son and our Lord for ever.
Prayer after Communion
Lord our God,
in answer to our pleading
you have given the bread of life,
to us, your special possession.
Accept our thanks
and help us not to be deaf
to the cries of those who appeal to us.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord.
Blessing
"Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you." For God is good and he blesses you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
