From the Gospel according to Matthew 7:7–12

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Ask and it will be given to you;
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.
Which one of you would hand his son a stone
when he asked for a loaf of bread,
or a snake when he asked for a fish?
If you then, who are wicked,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your heavenly Father give good things
to those who ask him.

“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.
This is the law and the prophets.”

Trust in Prayer

This Gospel speaks to us with great clarity: ask and you shall receive. In other words, pray. Speak to God about the things you need. Bring before Him your worries — the good and the bad — everything you carry in your heart. The Lord always listens. He watches over you and knows better than you do what you truly need.

Many times, we do not know what to ask for or how to ask for it. Yet when we enter into a personal conversation with the Lord, we gradually come to recognise what is truly important — what we genuinely need — sometimes even realising that we already possess it, though we had failed to see it. We can become so blinded by the weight of our sin that we overlook all that the Lord is constantly giving us, even without our asking.

Moreover, the Lord is always waiting for us, longing for us to share our lives and our concerns with Him. Married couples have the grace of turning to the Lord together, for our primary mission is to reach full communion — as spouses with Him — and in that intimacy to become one, offering our lives in His name and thus making His presence visible in us, at every time and in every place.

Brought into Married Life

Bridget: Christopher, you seem a little worried about something, but I can’t quite tell what it is. Is something the matter?

Christopher: You know me so well. Yes, there’s something on my mind. I’ve been turning it over and I wanted to speak to you about it, but I’m not quite sure how.

Bridget: You know you can count on me for whatever you need.

Christopher: I do know that — very clearly. But first I need to pray about it. It’s something that could affect the whole family.

Bridget: That’s perfectly fine. If you’d like, I can pray with you, and then you can tell me about it afterwards. What do you think?

Christopher: I think that’s the best option. I’m certain the Lord will act through you, and that I’ll receive the light I need to share my concern with you.

Christopher: So let’s begin. We can be sure that when everything is placed in the Lord’s hands through prayer, there is nothing that cannot find a solution.

Mother,

Teach us to turn to prayer, so that I may treat my spouse as your Son desires of me. Blessed and praised be God.