27th Week in Ordinary Time (B) : Thursday 10th October 2024

Jesus is actually persistent in His teaching of God’s timely response. The parable of the midnight visitor depicts God’s response without fail to those who persistently pray. Persistence overcomes resistance. Therefore, Christians must not cease from prayer until an answer is granted. This parable shatters the absurd idea that our heavenly Father is harsh. Some people may give up hope that God would answer their prayer, or worse still, conclude that God responded to their prayer negatively, and in a destructive way.

God wants the best for us. If a human father does not seek to harm his own children, how could anyone think that God, our Heavenly Father, would do otherwise? As our Father, God knows our real needs. Our greatest need is not for food or drink, but for strength and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, “the gift of God most high”. Jesus says that the Father will send the Holy Spirit to those who pray persistently and without malice. Paul reminds the Galatians that God gives His Spirit freely to those who hear and live according to the gospel of Christ.

This is why when praying, we must have the attitude of a child looking up to the Father for our needs, and trusting that what we will receive from the heavenly Father surpasses all the earthly gifts anyone could give.

Lord God, increase our persistence in prayer which will, in turn, increase our compassion towards others as well, for you have raised up for us a merciful Saviour.