Matthew 7:7–12 ASK, SEEK, KNOCK

Year A, Thursday of the First Week of Lent

In today’s Gospel, Jesus gives us words filled with hope and encouragement:

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”

These words sound simple, yet they touch one of the deepest struggles in our spiritual life — waiting. Many of us have prayed sincerely for something: healing, guidance, peace in a family situation, relief from anxiety, or help in difficult decisions. Sometimes the answer seems delayed, or different from what we expected, and we begin to wonder if God is really listening.

Jesus assures us that God hears every prayer. But He also teaches us something important: prayer is not a transaction; it is a relationship. A loving parent does not give everything a child asks for immediately but gives what is truly good. God responds to us not only according to our requests but according to our deeper needs.

Lent invites us to persevere in prayer — to keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking — even when answers are not immediate. Persistence in prayer slowly changes our hearts. It teaches trust, patience, and openness to God’s wisdom.

Jesus concludes with what we call the Golden Rule: “Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.” Prayer and daily life cannot be separated. The more we experience God’s goodness, the more we are called to reflect that goodness in how we treat others — with kindness, fairness, and compassion.

This Lenten season is an invitation to trust that every sincere prayer matters. Even when we do not see immediate results, God is already at work, opening doors we may not yet recognize.

Question to Ponder: What is one intention or struggle I need to keep placing before God with renewed trust this Lent?

With Love and Prayers

Your Co-Traveler

Fr. Leo