Coffee With God

Reflection: Jn 16:23-28

Today Jesus makes a solemn promise that whatever his disciples ask the Father in Jesus’ name will be given to them. What does “in my name” mean? It is a new element which Jesus reveals at the Ascension. Pope Francis reflects that, “Jesus, as he moves to his Father, left the door open. Not because he forgot to close it, but because he himself is the door to the Father. He is our mediator and so he says: “in my name”. In our prayers let us ask the Father in Jesus’ name: “Father, look at your Son and do this for me!” Up to the time of the ascension, Jesus was still with them and so the disciples have not been praying to God through Jesus. But then it will became the normal way for the Church to pray to the Father. In the liturgy, we conclude all our prayers, saying, “We make this prayer, through Christ our Lord.” But it is also true that despite our prayers, we have no answers! Sometimes we ask for good health for a loved one, blessings in the life of a neighbour or a friend or family member. We pray with all the strength and with all the faith because we feel absolutely helpless and from the bottom of our hearts we pray: “Lord, help us / help me”. But our experience tells us that many times, our prayers seem unattended. Despite our faith-filled prayers, nothing happens! Is it because God does not listen to our prayers? In today’s Gospel Jesus promises that he himself will ask the Father for us and that we will receive an answer … But still, our prayers go unanswered! Here we enter the realms of faith, of trust. We believe that we are in the hands of the good father who loves us. And we believe that despite all the pains, physical limitations, illnesses, God loves us, in a strange way, but he loves us. “The Father already loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.” Our Father already knows all our needs and he wants to satisfy them for us in his love. When we are united in love and faith with the Father, He provides us with what is the best for us. Our prayer through Jesus is not to tell God something he does not know already. Rather it is to help ourselves become better aware of what our real needs are, and to go to Him who provides us with all our needs.