27TH THURSDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Luke 11:5-13) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

“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?” (Lk 11:13)

FIRST READING - Mal 3:13-20b

"For the day is coming, blazing like an oven."

A reading from the Book of Malachi

¹³ Your words are too much for me, says the Lord. You ask, “What have we spoken against you?” ¹⁴ You have said, “It is useless to serve God; what do we gain by observing God’s requirements, And by going about as mourners^[a] before the Lord of hosts? ¹⁵ But we call the arrogant blessed; for evildoers not only prosper but even test God and escape.” ¹⁶ Then those who fear the Lord spoke with one another, and the Lord listened attentively; A record book^[b] was written before him of those who fear the Lord and esteem his name. ¹⁷ They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, my own special possession, on the day when I take action. And I will have compassion on them, as a man has compassion on his son who serves him. ¹⁸ Then you will again distinguish between the just and the wicked, Between the person who serves God, and the one who does not. ¹⁹ For the day is coming, blazing like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble, And the day that is coming will set them on fire, leaving them neither root nor branch, says the Lord of hosts. ²⁰ But for you who fear my name, the sun of justice will arise with healing in its wings;^[c] And you will go out leaping like calves from the stall

GOSPEL OF THE DAY - Lk 11:5-13

"Ask and you will receive."

✠From the Gospel according to Luke

⁵ 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, ⁶ for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him,’ ⁷ 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.’ ⁸ I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence.

⁹ “And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ¹⁰ For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. ¹¹ What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? ¹² Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? ¹³ 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^[a] to those who ask him?”

27TH THURSDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Luke 11:5-13)

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear People of God,

Today's Gospel recounts the story of a man who went to his friend's house late at night to borrow bread, and the friend helped him because of his persistence. Through this, God wishes to teach humanity about persistence when praying to God the Father.

God wants to tell humanity that: when anyone prays and asks God the Father for something, they should trust that He will grant it.

He further emphasizes: that person must have persistence and patience in their prayer to God the Father.

As in today's Gospel, the image of a man disturbing his friend at midnight to borrow bread, and the friend waking up to give him bread, is due to the persistence and patience of the borrower.

God wants to say: He will treat us even better than that, for He is rich in mercy, kindness, and compassion, and no one in this world has love like Him.

Therefore, today's Word of God calls everyone to trust and have absolute faith in God the Father, to believe that their earnest prayers will be heard, answered, and granted all good things according to His will, for He knows what is good and what is bad for humanity.

Humanity's part is to follow God's Word, patiently pray and knock, and He will grant it, He will open the door.

What God has decreed, He will fulfill.

Therefore, today's Word of God calls everyone to always be humble, trusting, and faithful in their prayers offered to God. He will show favor to the prayers of those with sincere hearts and with absolute trust in God's loving providence.

He also says: if even a bad father knows how to give good things to his children, how much more will God the Father, who is rich in mercy and has complete power over all creation, always bestow the best things upon those who call upon Him.

Therefore, today, if humanity desires good things, peace, and happiness in God's loving embrace, then run to His mercy, ask Him to grant all blessings, ask Him to allow us to do God the Father's holy will, ask God the Father to grant the Holy Spirit to guide and teach us, so that we may know how to live in a way that pleases and delights God the Father.

Today, God instructs everyone that whoever is wise should run to God and call upon Him, relying on His mercy; asking Him to bestow blessings, to cast out and free the soul from Satan's captivity, so that I may return to God.

He will bestow the best things upon the soul of anyone who trusts and persistently calls upon God.

Thanks be to God. Amen.