Lk 11:5-13 Accepting the Challenge

Thursday of the Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time
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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...' 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 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.

Praying is like accepting a challenge.  Late last night I received a phone call from a priest.  He's a young priest who has a lot on his plate.  He's energetic, enthusiastic and definitely willing to help out wherever he is needed.  Well, late last night he realized he double booked himself.  So he called for help.  He asked me if I were free in the morning, this morning, that is.  I was, but I was kind of hoping to spend the morning relaxing (Hey, I need it after back-to-back retreats).  He asked if I would be willing to help him out with two masses at a Catholic school.  I wasn't.  I was NOT WILLING AT ALL!  That would mean three masses for me and all before noon!  Almost immediately, my schedule went from very quiet to very intense.  All because of this late night phone call.  I couldn't believe it! 

"Why me?" was not what I shouted to myself.  Instead, I shouted, "Why did I have to read and reflect on tomorrow's Gospel!?"

"Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children are already in bed.."  In other words, I made my plans, my schedule is already set in stone. I was having a really nice night before you called!  Don't bother me!

Ugh!!!

I told him I would be more than happy to do it...and that he didn't owe me a thing.  I was perfectly honest with my priest friend and told him that this "double booking" thing only happens when we stretch ourselves thin...and that it happens to me all the time.  I was more than happy to help out.

Every time we pray, every time we meditate on the Gospel, we are opening the door to God's challenge.  "Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you."  

What are we all asking for, and looking for and knocking for?  To see the Will of God starring right in front of me. 

Before my priest friend's phone call, I never imagined how today's Gospel passage would be so relevant and challenging to me.  It went from a nice story to a real-life story.  It went from words to flesh.  The word became flesh.   

God is always surprising us with His Word.