Ask and you will receive

rpstoledosj

May 28

I am sure that you saw a cartoon where two angels are seated behind their respective tables. One angel had a long line in front of him; he also looked quite harried and stressed; the other angel – on the other hand – looked bored. You probably know the rest of the story. The sign behind the first angel said 'Petitions and Requests'; behind the second angel 'Thanksgiving'.

Around four years ago, I visited some churches in Luzon. I found a church where two large glass jars were on a table placed at the feet of a statue of some saint at the left side of the sanctuary. One jar was labeled 'Prayer Requests'; the other 'Thanksgiving Prayers.' The first jar was almost full; the other three-fourths empty.

In recent years, we all have heard how important it is to be grateful. We should thank God much more often. The subtext: Thank God more, ask God less.

The messaging regarding gratitude seems not to have been that successful.

But if we look back at the Gospel readings of these past days, gratitude is not what our Lord is asking from his disciples. It is reliance on God.

To ask from God. In today's short Gospel reading, the word 'ask' is used five times and in sentences that follow each other.

whatever you αιτησητε {ahee-teh'- teh'} [to ask, beg, call for, crave, desire, require] ask the Father in my name he will give you.
Until now you have not αιτησητε {ahee-teh'- teh'} [to ask, beg, call for, crave, desire, require] asked anything in my name;
αιτειτε {ahee-teh'- teh'} [to ask, beg, call for, crave, desire, require (imperative)] ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.
On that day you will αιτησεσθε {ahee-teh'-ses-teh'} [to ask, beg, call for, crave, desire, require] ask in my name,
and I do not tell you that I will ερωτησω {er-o-teh'-so} [to question, to ask, to request, entreat, beg, beseech] ask the Father for you.[1]

In the Gospel according to John, Our Lord uses the same Greek verb for 'ask'. That verb has the meanings 'to ask, beg, call for, crave, desire, require.' Furthermore, when used four out of the five times, its form does not indicate when the request would be completed or fulfilled. The sense conveyed is that in asking, begging, calling for, craving for, the person contemplates both the request and the one to whom it is directed – 'that, which I desire' and 'whom I desire it from.'

We are thus invited to consider what we are seeking will bring about in us and how it would contribute to our relationship with the one who can grant what we ask for.

It seems then that this explains that we still need to ask God, even though He knows what we need. We pray not because God needs our prayers, but because we do.

Pray for specifics.

Don't pray for good governance alone. Pray for competent leaders. Pray for honest leaders.

Don't pray for financial stability alone. Pray for satisfying work. Pray for a job or a business that helps the most number of people.

It is difficult to focus on what is not specific.

What does our prayer do to us?

When we pray for competent leaders, for honest leaders, do we also pray to become more engaged citizens too?

When we pray for satisfying work, a job, or a business that helps the most people, do we pray too to become more generous to others?

Do we pray to be transformed to be more ready to do whatever God will ask us to do?

Finally, do we become more familiar with God through our prayer?

Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you. Until now you have not asked anything in my name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.

John 16, 23b-24

[1] Chapter 16 of the Gospel of John: Original Greek text and translation https://www.gospel-john.com/chapter-16/