Thursday of the First Week

Reflection

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” MT 7: 7-12

Today’s readings focus on the idea of asking. I find that in our society, we have trouble asking of others. Things such as help with a job, assignment, or in general, a sense of what to do, seem daunting because we are afraid it will make us appear weak or incapable of doing the task at hand. When we are constantly plagued with the business of life, we can also tend to ignore or not listen closely enough to what is being asked of us. Asking takes a sense of humility, but it also shows that you are strong, strong enough to see that you are in a position in which you can seek aid to make a situation better. In the Gospel, Jesus tells us that “For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds.” The golden rule, the last words of the Gospel, welcome us to ask and benefit one another. These words, “Do to others whatever you would have them do to you,” remind us that we are not the only ones who will ever need to ask for something or seek help. As brothers and sisters, it is our duty to God and to ourselves to treat each other the way we would like to be treated, help the way we would like to be helped. When something is asked of us, we must open our hearts and minds, putting ourselves in the shoes of the person in order to aid them in a way that if we were in the same position, we would like to be helped. Today, let us realize that the ability to ask is one of the greatest gifts God has bestowed upon us, something not to be forgotten or taken advantage of. Let us remember the courage it takes to gain support to make something better. Let us take each day to comfort others as we would want to be comforted.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, You tell us that if we ask, we shall receive, seek and we shall find. Grant us the resolution to find it within ourselves to ask in times of need. Grant us serenity in our daily lives, so that we too may help our brothers and sisters in crisis, as You do every day. Amen.

Alex Byrne, ‘14

Scripture
First Reading: Esther C:12, 14-16, 23-25
Psalm 138:1-3, 7c-8

Gospel: Matthew 7:7-12

Daily Scripture readings can be found online at the USCCB website