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Christ Our Lord has said: “Ask and it shall be given to you, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you” (Lk. 11,9). And speaking in general, He solemnly declared: “Amen, amen, I say to unto you: if you ask the Father anything in My name, He will give it to you” (Jn. 16,23). That was said by the almighty and true God, who is able to keep His word, who is minded to keep it, and who will keep it.

Numerous examples from Holy Scripture, as also the examples just related in the life of the servant of God Zachary, show how God kept His word.

In order to be worthy of the response promised, our prayer must be performed in the proper manner, especially with firm trust and with perseverance. For thus says Christ our Lord: “Whatsoever you ask when you pray, believe and it will come unto you” (Mk. 11,24), and St James (1,7) says: “He who wavers, let him not think that he shall receive anything from the Lord.”

That our prayer must be persevering, may be learned from the expressions with which Our Lord exhorts us to it – ask, seek, and knock.

Consider that the answer to our prayer does not always take a form which is in accordance with our wishes. Rather, sometimes it takes a much more perfect form. We, of course, believe that the granting of our desires is the best thing for us; yet, often the all-knowing and all-wise God sees that that is not the case. So He answers our prayer, if it was otherwise a good prayer, in a more perfect way: as by granting us the grace of resignation to His holy will; by strengthening our hearts with patience in the distress and suffering which He permits to continue because they are for our welfare; by giving us the grace to resist the temptations which He intends should purify and humble our soul. In that way we always receive what Jesus Christ would ask for us, and what we also mean to ask for when we petition the Father in His name.

Marion A. Habig, OFM

The lives of the saints!

Blessed Waldo
Blessed William Cufitella
Blessed Yolanda of Hungary
Saint Yves of Brittany
Saint Zita

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