Coffee With God

Reflection: Luke 11: 5-13

On October 7, the Catholic Church celebrates the memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary. It is also known by the alternate title of “Our Lady of Victory,” because it is celebrated to honour the Blessed Mother for the victory of the Christian forces against the Turkish invasion on 7 October 1571 at Lepanto, in Greece. While preparing for the battle, Pope Pius V encouraged the Christians in the whole of Europe to pray the Rosary. The Pope attributed the victory to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The feast was instituted to honour the motherly protection of the Blessed Mother through the Rosary devotion. Rosary is a repetition of prayers. Many people consider it boring to repeat the same prayer of Hail Mary and Our Father. Curious though, today’s gospel talks about the importance of repetition and consistency in prayer! Jesus tells the parable of a man who, with great insistence, went to ask a friend to give him three loaves of bread (vv. 5-8). This story intends to teach that prayer needs to be untiring. But, Is it not true that God knows our needs even before we ask for them? Then why does the Lord want us to be persistent in prayer? Certainly not because God wants to be asked for a long time before granting something, but because it helps us to discern well what we are asking for and also helps us to assimilate God’s plans for our lives. Do not be mistaken that our prayers are to persuade God to change his plan. That would appear like we want God to comply with our ideas, that he would grant us all what we ask for and all that are in our liking. It is not so. On the contrary, talking with him at length in prayer, will help us to understand the love of God better and accept his designs. Prayer does not change God; rather it opens our minds, changes our hearts and attitudes. It is hard to give up our way of looking at the world. The ways of God are not always easy, nor pleasant; they require conversion, efforts, renouncement, sacrifices. To discern the will of the Lord, we must pray . Lord promises that our prayers will be answered, but our experience might be different! The reality remains the same as before – the disease continues, the grievance will remain, the wounds of betrayal will be painful. But our prayer will help us find answers to deal with these realities.