10 Oct 2024 – Thursday of Week 27

10 Oct 2024 – Thursday of Week 27

1st Reading: Galatians 3:1-5

Is the Spirit received by law-abidingness or by trusting faith?

You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly exhibited as crucified! The only thing I want to learn from you is this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? Having started with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh? Did you experience so much for nothing?, if it really was for nothing. Well then, does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?

Responsorial: from Luke 1:69ff

R./: Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to save his people

The Lord has raised up for us a mighty saviour
in the house of David his servant,
as he promised by the lips of holy ones,
those who were his prophets from of old. (R./)

A saviour who would free us from our foes,
from the hands of all who hate us.
So his love for our fathers is fulfilled
and his holy covenant remembered. (R./)

He swore to Abraham our father
to grant us, that free from fear,
and saved from the hands of our foes,
we might serve him in holiness and justice
all the days of our life in his presence. (R./)

Gospel: Luke 11:5-13

Jesus teaches the value of perseverance in prayer

Jesus said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.’ And he answers from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs.

“So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Persistence in prayer

Perseverance is based on trust that we really will find what we seek. Instead of the moral term, “perseverance,” Luke has the more secular term “persistence.” While “perseverance” suggests faithfulness in following the way of Jesus, there’s a stubborn toughness in persistence.

Jewish culture required hospitality be offered even to someone who arrives at an inconvenient time. It’s not normal to trouble a neighbour at midnight for something we need. Even Jesus is not really promoting such a socially offensive request. The point of his parable is in its imagery, “for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” If the neighbour obliges, however unwillingly, how much more will God give us as much as we need.

The goodness of God is also compared to parents’ care and attention towards their children. Jesus acknowledges the basic goodness and generosity of parents. So how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask. For the Gospel writers, and for St Luke in particular, the Holy Spirit is the highest gift God can give us.