July 27, 2025
Luke 11:1-13
Through this Gospel passage we notice the way in which Jesus teaches his disciples. He uses a two-pronged manner: example and word.
Example precedes the word and makes it credible and effective.
It is well said, “Jesus was praying in a certain place.” (Luke 11 :1). Jesus had the custom of going apart to distance himself from the crowds and his disciples to pray, to speak with his father alone. The disciples had often noticed and felt attracted to do as he did, to imitate him. It was thus that they asked him to teach them how to pray.
The “Our Father” which Jesus taught his disciples is a precious response which enters a thirsty heart to quench its thirst. It brings a human closer to God and reveals that God is truly father, “Our Father.”
This discovery has the power to change the identity of the one praying, to transform one from a simple creature of God into “son and daughter” of God.
Being aware of being children of God, our attitude, our relationships place us in a special framework where we discover the father’s love spread within us which makes us cry out, “Our Father”! It turns out that God, the Father of Jesus, is also ours. For this reason, Jesus is our brother. He welcomes us into this love and enables us to share it.
The following event (Luke 11: 5-13) introduces us to the persistent friend who serves not because of a depth of friendship, but rather, to get rid of the beggar. In spite of his disagreeable and negative appearance, refusal even, on the part of the one who should help his friend by giving him bread, this parable offers us some important lessons.
Jesus uses these images to again reveal the depth of the love of God our father, toward us, his children. It shows us that God can never block his ears or refuse his help when we cry to him with faith and hope. This is why he insists, “Ask and you will receive; knock and it will be opened to you”. (Mt 7:7).
In a striking conclusion, Jesus demonstrates that every good action, every good work, emanates from the perfect love of God: “If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?” (Luke 11:13)
What joy! What happiness for us, to realize that this “Father” is truly our common Father, Jesus – and us! “OUR FATHER.”
Luke 11:1-13
Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.” He said to them, When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test.”
And he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him,’ and he says in reply from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.’ I tell you, if he does not get up to give the visitor the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence.
“And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”
The Gospel of the Lord.
MEET SISTER MARIE-ANGELE KITEWO
