Last Saturday, during the Peyton Rosary Rally, Mr. Artie Boyle was the main speaker. He gave a very powerful testimony on how the power of prayer in his life healed him from two separate episodes of terminal cancer. He showed us that there comes a time when what you are left with is to pray as you have never prayed before. And in his case, the grace of God healed him from these two types of cancer.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus presents us with a parable of a bothersome man who shows up in the middle of the night, imposing on his neighbor to give him bread for an unexpected guest. The story illustrates that even when the neighbor is reluctant to get up, he does so because of the man’s bold persistence to provide what is needed.
Have there been times when you have prayed about something and it seemed like God wasn’t responding, and you were tempted to give up? Jesus uses this parable to teach his disciples that if a neighbor is able to get up in the middle of the night when a friend knocks persistently on the door and provides him with bread, then they should never be slow to knock on God’s door, because God is an even more wonderful friend, always ready to provide.
God's Generosity
The story offers two things to reflect upon: God’s generosity towards us and the need for us to persist in prayer.
If we, human and evil as it were, can extend hospitality to others, what about the heavenly Father and Provider? He will treat us with kind and generous care, no matter how troubling or inconveniencing the circumstances might appear. The Lord Jesus assures us that we can bring our needs to our heavenly Father, who is always ready to give not only what we need, but more than we can ask. He freely pours the blessings of his Holy Spirit upon us so that we are filled with abundance.
St. Augustine of Hippo once described: “God as one who does not sleep and who awakens us from sleep that we may ask, and he gives much more graciously.”
Jesus also encourages his disciples and all of us with a command: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you.” Borrowing from the bothersome, persistent, coercive friend, we too must persist in prayer.
Persistence Pays Off
When our flesh fails, and we feel unmotivated to pray in general or for a specific request, we need to have faith that the good Lord can answer our prayers. He never gets tired or annoyed with our persistence.
Persisting in prayer implies seeking God without losing heart. Mr. Boyle shared that together with his friends, they prayed, made a pilgrimage to Maggiore, and they trusted that God could transform an impossible situation into something hopeful.
- Persistence in prayer is a clear sign that we recognize our absolute helplessness without God.
- Persisting in prayer is not about just chanting endless repetitious mantras, rather it is maintaining an attitude of prayer, staying connected with God and keeping our requests before God.
- Persistence in prayer means that we pray with faith and the expectation that God not only hears our prayers but also has the power and ability to answer them.
With trust in God’s generosity, let us continue to come before him in our need, asking, searching, knocking, fully trusting that God is always present with us in whatever situation.
- Today’s Readings
- Father Fulgens' inspirational homily was recorded live during Mass at The Father Peyton Center. You can view the Mass in its entirety here: Family Rosary YouTube page.
- To join the Rosary and Mass Livestream, visit the Family Rosary YouTube or Facebook page at 11:30 a.m. Eastern, Monday – Friday. Consider inviting others to join, too! (*If you are not a member of Facebook and a signup window appears, simply select the X at the top of the pop-up message and continue to the livestream.)
