Jesus teaches about “persistence” in prayers in today’s Gospel. He gives the example of a friend who will give loaves if not because of “friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence.” Jesus is not teaching that we need to persistently bother God to get what we want. Rather he is using the example of a very human situation with imperfect human beings. If imperfect human beings will give what is needed not because of friendship at least because of persistence how much more will God who is “more than a friend” give us what we need. In a similar way an imperfect (“wicked”) father will give his son not a snake but a fish and not a scorpion but an egg when he asks. Jesus does not literally mean that the father is “wicked” just that he is not the all good and holy God. God our heavenly Father knows what we need even before we ask.
So, Jesus wants us to pray with trust. God knows what we need even more than we do. Jesus does not promise that God will give us anything we ask for but God will give us what he knows we need:
“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?”
This promise of the holy Spirit is the promise that God will be with us to guide us and to support us. We hear this same promise at Mass:
“You are indeed Holy and to be glorified, O God, who love the human race and who always walk with us on the journey of life.” (Eucharistic Prayer for Various Needs IV)
We may not get everything we want at all times but especially in the times of suffering and trial God wants us to know that he is with us.
Image: “Praying Boy” by Adi ALGhanem is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.