Knock And Listen

Jesus said to his disciples: “Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him,’ and he says in reply from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.’ I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence.

“And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?” (Luke 11:5-13)

This reading is about prayer.  Pray we must, and when we do, we receive the Holy Spirit.  Praying is like knocking on the door.  Luke has us believe when we knock – when we pray – the door will be opened, that is, God will answer our prayers.  

For many of us the door remains closed.  No one answers.  God seems not at home.  It’s as if God is saying to us: "Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.” Consequently, we seem to receive a snake or a scorpion, not a fish or an egg, or at least so it seems.  

The point of this reading is for us never to give up knocking.  In fact, we should bloody our fists on the wood, and yell and scream to be heard on the other side of the door.  Better yet, we should try kicking down the door or use a battering ram.  We must be persistent!   

Prayers are not always answered.  Nevertheless, praying reveals our participation in the conversations or arguments we have with God who is our friend.  While the door may not always open for us, if we place our ears to the wood, we can hear God’s voice that may be no more than a whisper, but it’s there offering understanding and heartfelt compassion thereby giving us hope that our prayers will be answered.  

Furthermore, we may be the ones on the inside of the door, and it may be Jesus who knocks.  We pray we have the good sense to open the door to our hearts and minds, and welcome him in. 

Deacon David Pierce