All You Have to do Is Ask!

    Think about this situation for a second. A young child is sitting down on a chair in the kitchen and he has something on his/her mind. So the father asks, "My child what is wrong?" and the child looks up and tells their father, "I really want to get a puppy because all of my friends at school have one." Then the father looks and tells his child how much work it will be and how much time the child will need to spend walking the dog and feeding it and playing with it and disciplining the puppy. Still the child insisted that they would take care of the puppy and that they REALLY want the dog. So the father listens and he contemplates with his wife and the work through the numbers financially and do all the behind the scenes work to make sure the puppy will be able to in fact stay with the family. After a few months the parents decide that for Christmas they will buy a puppy for their child and on Christmas that same year, their child wakes up to a wonderful surprise under the tree; a puppy!

    I come up with this story to relate the Gospel to you today. God, Our Father, will do anything for us. He will do anything for us that will be good for us. Just like the decision made by the father in this story, God does not just give you everything you want right away. It may take some time and some dedication in prayer, but when we are told, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." He is telling the truth. Now let us be real here for a second... if you only ask for the Philly sports teams to win a championship, well, God will probably not grant that one, due to the fact that you do not need that to be happy and if you do, well, you may have a problem. I am talking about things such as finding a job, a spouse, finding courage, vocation calling, etc. The things in life that really do matter.

    Prayer is a very powerful tool that God has given to us and just like the father in my story above, God is always asking, "My child, what is wrong?" "How can I help you?" "What would you like me to do for you?" God is always asking these questions, the real question is are you actually telling him what you want? And just like the father in this story, Our Heavenly Father is going to make the decision based on what is actually good for us! He may say "Yes" right away, or maybe in a few months or maybe later on in life. God may actually say "No" and not because He loves you any less, but because what you are asking for is actually not good for you. Here is an example. Say you pray to win the lottery so you can pay off all your debts and get a house for your parents and yourself. Well, God knows the hidden secret that you have about a gambling addiction that you tell nobody! God will not grant you the opportunity to take something that can be used for good, just to be blown away in a casino or lottery tickets. God is going to act just like a Father in granting you permission or giving you gifts.

    Ask God today for something that you actually desire and not just want. Something that has been on your heart for a long time. Ask God to give you courage to stand up for your faith at school or work. Take a chance in prayer and ask God for that puppy you have always wanted, who knows, maybe He sees that you are no ready to receive that gift because you have matured not only in your own body and mind but spiritually. Today, remind yourself that if God says "NO" it is not because He hates you, it is because He knows what is best for His children. God is our loving Father and He would do nothing to harm us. Like it says in today's Gospel:

"Which one of you would hand his son a stone when asked for a loaf of bread, or a snake when he asked for a fish? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask Him."