ASK

“Ask and it will be given to you; 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."  

Matthew 7:7-12

 

     Today's gospel passage is one that has always been hard to explain, especially as a teacher.  So often, my students bring this Bible verse to my attention:

 

"Mrs. D., it says that if we ask, we will receive.............But I asked to pass that test, and I failed and Ben asked for his pap to live and he still died." 

 

This is when I know that my job as a Catholic educator is so important.  I am responsible for explaining this answer to my students.  (Yes, I know what some of you are thinking!  It is a scary thought!)  So, I answer the best way that I know how.  Simple and straightforward.  Just like our mom and dad have to say no sometimes, so does our Heavenly Father.  He knows the plan that He has in store for us, and even when we think we know what is best for us, we don't...... BUT He does.  His answers lead us to His ultimate plan for us, not ours.  We want Him to adapt His answers to fit our wants and needs and that is not how our God works.   Sometimes, He says yes and He is so excited when we recognize that He is working in our life with that yes.  But He is even more proud of us when He says no and we show Him that we trust in His plan for us and accept His no without complaint.  That is the hardest part.  Trusting His answers isn't always easy.   It means that loved ones still get cancer and die, it means that families still fall apart and it means that dad might still lose his job.  But, what this scripture passage tells us is that if we ask, we shall receive.  Maybe the answer wasn't what we wanted, but He answers.  And if we trust His answer, we may just receive more than we could have ever imagined.

 

Total surrender to His will
Relying on His answers, not ours
Unshakeable faith in His plan
Sacrifice our own wants and needs for His
To Him be the glory!