Week 44 of the Church year
ശൂനോയോയ്ക്കു ശേഷം രണ്ടാം ഞായർ
Jesus tells his friends to keep asking, seeking and knocking. If a human father gives his child a fish, not a snake, how much more will God give the Holy Spirit to those who ask?
Jesus says to keep asking, seeking and knocking. A father gives his child good things, and the heavenly Father gives the Holy Spirit. When he drives out a demon, some say he does it by Beelzebul. He answers that he drives them out by the finger of God.
This teaching on prayer comes right after the Lord’s Prayer in Luke 11. The evening Gospel is the parable of the persistent widow.
The best gift God gives in answer to prayer is himself, the Holy Spirit.
ഈ ഞായറാഴ്ചയുടെ വായനകൾ
A persistent widow and an unjust judge: always pray and do not lose heart.
The Pharisee and the tax collector; let the children come to me.
The earth is full of violence, but Noah finds favour in God’s eyes.
A good name is better than precious ointment; the house of mourning teaches the heart.
The words of the Lord are pure, like silver refined seven times.
With the Lord a day is like a thousand years; he is patient, not wanting any to perish.
You are children of light; keep awake and encourage one another.
Ask, seek, knock; the Father gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask. This is the Gospel of the day.
Open in five scenesGod sees the earth filled with violence and finds Noah, and Ecclesiastes says sorrow can teach the heart. The psalm trusts God’s pure words. Peter says a day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and Thessalonians tells us to stay awake.
References follow the official lectionary of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. Your parish may read them in a different order.
Pick a scene to see what happens in it and what is easy to miss.
Ask and it will be given; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened. Everyone who asks receives.
The Greek verbs mean keep on asking, keep on seeking, keep on knocking. Prayer is a habit, not a single try.
Which father would give his child a snake instead of a fish, or a scorpion instead of an egg? If you know how to give good gifts, how much more will the Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask.
Matthew’s version says the Father gives “good things” (Matthew 7:11). Luke names the best good thing: the Holy Spirit.
Jesus drives out a demon that made a man mute, and the man speaks. Some say he does it by Beelzebul; others test him by asking for a sign from heaven.
The man who could not speak now speaks, right after a lesson on asking God in prayer.
Jesus knows their thoughts. Every kingdom divided against itself falls. If Satan is divided, how will his kingdom stand?
Mark tells the same exchange in last month’s Gospel for the Seventh Sunday after Pentecost (Mark 3:20–30).
But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
Pharaoh’s magicians said “this is the finger of God” when they could not copy Moses’ signs (Exodus 8:19).
The verse to keep
“യാചിപ്പിൻ, എന്നാൽ നിങ്ങൾക്കു കിട്ടും; അന്വേഷിപ്പിൻ, എന്നാൽ നിങ്ങൾ കണ്ടെത്തും; മുട്ടുവിൻ എന്നാൽ നിങ്ങൾക്കു തുറക്കും.”“I tell you, keep asking, and it will be given you. Keep seeking, and you will find. Keep knocking, and it will be opened to you.
The mute manഊമൻ
Freed from a demon that kept him from speaking.
“—”
The criticsകുറ്റം പറഞ്ഞവർ
Some in the crowd who say Jesus works by the power of Beelzebul.
“—”
മുട്ടിക്കൊണ്ടേയിരിക്കുക
Jesus teaches about prayer like a parent talking about parenting. Would you give your hungry child a snake? Of course not. Even imperfect parents give their children what is good. So, he says, think how much more your Father in heaven wants to give you.
He tells us to keep asking. Not once, but over and over, like a child who keeps coming back to the kitchen. Prayer is not a vending machine, and not every request is granted as we imagine. But nobody who keeps knocking is left standing outside for ever.
And Luke tells us what God most wants to give: the Holy Spirit. We often ask for things, and that is fine. But the deepest answer to prayer is not a thing. It is God himself, living in us, changing us from inside. That is a gift worth knocking for every day.
കുടുംബമായി സംസാരിക്കാം
What have you stopped praying for because it seemed God was not answering?
Two minutes after the audio. Everyone gets a turn, and nobody is interrupted.Start a family prayer list on the fridge, and keep praying for each item until something changes.
Heavenly Father, you give good gifts to your children. Teach us to keep asking, seeking and knocking, and above all, give us your Holy Spirit. Amen.
The whole year
Every Sunday of the Church year, season by season: readings, the Gospel and a question for the family.
Sunday 16 of 18 in Pentecost