FIRST READING
“Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law, or by hearing with faith?”
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Galatians (Galatians 3 :1-5)
O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law, or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh? Did you experience so many things in vain? — if it really is in vain. Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith?
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Luke 1 :69-70.71-72.73-75 (R. see b8)
R/. Blessed be the Lord GOD of Israel,
for he has visited his people.
He has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David,
as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets
from of old. R.
That we should be saved from our enemies,
and from the hand of all who hate us;
to perform the mercy promised to our fathers,
and to remember his holy covenant. R.
The oath which he swore to our father Abraham,
to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
might serve him without fear,
in holiness and righteousness before him
all the days of our life. R.
ALLELUIA Acts 16:14b
Alleluia. Open our hearts, O Lord, that we may give heed to the words of your Son. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
“Ask, and it will be given you. ”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Luke 11:5-13)
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything’? I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him whatever he needs. And I tell you, Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Today’s Reflection
The basic mark that distinguishes religion is faith. As Christians, we are called to a life of faith which enables us to believe without doubting whatever God has revealed. One such great revelation that we have come to know as Christians is that God has great concern and love for us all. Why then should we lack the courage to ask for what we need, to knock at his door of mercy and abundance and to seek at his garden of fruits and gifts? The challenge often is with us and not God because we go searching and believing where God has not called us to. The question therefore for us all today is: do I express my faith wrongly by not knocking, seeking, and asking at the right place?