10 October 2024
Thursday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time
Luke 11:5-13
Gift of the Holy Spirit

We are all familiar with phrases such as “I have been praying for this for years,” or “Thankfully, God said ‘No’ to my request,” and so on. The story that Jesus tells in today’s Gospel emphasizes the importance of persisting in prayer.”

The text in Luke 11 discusses the topic of prayer and concludes with the statement that the heavenly Father will give the fullness of the Holy Spirit when his children ask him, emphasizing the care and provision of God for his children. Father Richard Rohr offers a beautiful insight: “The response to every prayer is the same: it is the bestowal of the Holy Spirit. This may not result in immediate healing from an ailment or success in one’s endeavours. However, when there is an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, remember, God has already answered our prayer.”

For us modernists, who are used to getting things instantly, or are so desperate for answers, or can Google and access information in seconds, this gift of the Holy Spirit would be difficult to understand.

Here’s the thing: God hears every single prayer—all of them—from everyone. I believe God loves us all and hates our suffering probably more than we do, like a mother does her child. But I know people who have prayed for healing, success, and answers but have gotten none of the specific things they have asked for.

How do we understand a God who answers by giving His Holy Spirit? It’s different from what we expected! It’s not what we have asked for! We might feel dissatisfied if we fail to recognise the gift of the Spirit and continue to believe that God hasn’t answered our prayers. Instead of resorting to acts of penance and special prayers to persuade God to change His mind and grant our desires, perhaps we should seek to understand the value of receiving the Holy Spirit.

In the first reading, Paul tells his listeners that they received the Holy Spirit as a free gift, and it was not the result of their good works or adherence to the law. Our prayers are never left unattended… The Lord fills us with his Spirit and with all the necessary graces to handle whatever situations we are in.

© Claretian Publications, Macau
Cum Approbatione Ecclesiastica 2024