Pray Persistently
那時候，耶穌對門徒說：「你們中間誰有一個朋友，半夜去他那裏，向他說：朋友，借給我三個餅吧！因為我的朋友行路到了我這裏，我沒有什麼可以款待他。那人從裏面回答說：不要煩擾我了！門已經關上，我的孩子同我一起在床上，我不能起來給你。我告訴你們：他縱然不為了他是朋友的緣故，而起來給他，也要因他恬不知恥地切求而起來，給他所需要的一切。
「所以，我告訴你們：你們求，必要給你們；你們找，必要找著；你們敲，必要給你們開。因為凡求的，就必得到；找的，就必找到；敲的，就必給他開。你們中間那有為父親的，兒子向他求餅，反而給他石頭呢？或是求魚，反將蛇當魚給他呢？或者求雞蛋，反將蠍子給他呢？你們縱然不善，尚且知道把好東西給你們的兒女，何況在天之父，豈不更將聖神賜與求他的人嗎？」
路加福音 11:5-13
© Fr Lawrence Lew, O.P.
(www.flickr.com/photos/paullew/)
耶穌用半夜向朋友借餅這個比喻，來告訴我們祈禱時，懇切堅持的態度十分重要。祂接著給我們三個「必然」的肯定：「凡求的，就必得到；找的，就必找到；敲的，就必給他開。」祂要我們有信心地相信，天父是仁慈和慷慨的父親；身為罪人的父親尚且知道把好東西給自己的兒女，何況是我們的在天之父？祂視我們為祂的兒女，所以當我們懇切地向天父祈求，只要是對我們好的，天父都必會應允。
留意耶穌的最後一句話很重要，因祂提醒我們甚麼是「好東西」。如果我們基於私心或貪念，才祈求某些東西，天父基於祂對我們的愛，是不會應允；因為得到了並不會對我們有益處。例如孩子求父親給他餅、魚和雞蛋，這些都是有益的食物，父親該不會拒絕，也不會給孩子一些對他沒有用處或有害的東西。同樣，天父也只會把最好的東西留給我們，只是有時我們並不明白，以為祂沒有聆聽我們的禱告。其實最好也是我們最需要的東西，就是聖神；因聖神能領我們更認識、更肖似天主，所以耶穌說天父必會把聖神賜與求祂的人。
我們常祈求天父把聖神賜給我們嗎？
Jesus said to his disciples: “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 him 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?”
Luke 11:5-13
Jesus used the first analogy to illustrate the importance of praying with persistence. He then promised us three things: “Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” He wants us to have faith in our Heavenly Father, that He is merciful and generous; if even fathers among us, who are sinners, know how to give good things to their children, how would our Heavenly Father do less than them? He sees us as His children, and if we ask Him persistently what we need, as long as it is good for us, He will grant it to us.
Notice that it does not mean He will grant us whatever we want, because what we want might not be always good for us. Jesus' last statement also gave away what God thinks is the best for us: the Holy Spirit. If we ask for something due to our greed or selfishness, God will not give us, because having it will not do us any good. For example, if a child asks his dad for bread, fish and egg, his dad would give him because those are healthy good for him, and his dad certainly would not give him snake or scorpion that his child doesn't want and which are even harmful to him. Therefore, our Heavenly Father would also want to give us what's best for us and what we needed most, and that is the Holy Spirit; because the Holy Spirit guides us towards God and transforms us to become holy like Him. That is why Jesus promised God will grant us the Holy Spirit if we ask Him.
How often do you pray for the Holy Spirit to come?
參考 Reference:
Living Space Commentaries on Daily Readings
“Doctor’s Diary” Ep044