Not So Ordinary Time

I was having a hard time during mass today.  The children were wonderful, but I couldn't concentrate on anything.  Then came the gospel.  I'm a very visual person so it helps if I read along with the gospel instead of just listening. 

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.

I had one of those awesome "A-ha!" moments.  Persistence in prayer.  That's what I've been missing.  I've not been conistent or persistent.  I had given up on certain things and God cleared my ears and my mind so that I could hear this message.  Then the gospel continues on with this:

“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?”

I couldn't tell you what the rest of mass was like.  After this revelation, I continued to have concentration problems.  It was exacerbated by my daughter having to go to the bathroom, my youngest who was singing "Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest!" after we were well beyond that point in mass, and my middle daughter telling me I was going to be doing something yucky soon (drinking the Blood of Christ--her innocence and belief is so pure!).

Comments

[Emily]

Your Beautiful Children are your prayer. Thank you for reminding us about persistence. Prayer is such a part of our being.