HOMILY FOR THURSDAY OF THE 1ST WEEK OF LENT
Homily for Thursday of the 1st week of Lent Esther 14:1,3-4,11,13-14; Matthew 7:7-12. "On the day I called, you answered me, O Lord," is our Responsorial Psalm, and Jesus teaches us the effect of prayers provided we ask for the right things, God will grant them. We sometimes look at prayer as what we do in hopeless situations. But Jesus is telling us in today's Gospel that prayer is not the easiest but the best things we should do in every situation. "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you" (Matt.7:7). Why is it that it seems that when we ask, we don't get answers? God answers prayers in three ways. He says "Yes" to the ones that perfectly align with his will. He says "No" to the ones in contradiction to his will, and finally, He says, "Wait" to our prayers when He knows that though such a request is a good one. Above all, the best prayer is for God's will to be done co...