Knock and the door will be opened

Readings for Thursday March 5, 2009

First Reading:  Esther C:12, 14-16, 23-25

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 138

Gospel:  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.  (Matt 7:7-8) 

I remember during my youth that with each year of playing baseball also meant another year of selling candy bars.  Selling candy bars was a way for us to raise money for our baseball program.  Each spring after receiving my candy bars, I would proceed to go door to door in my neighborhood (this was of course after begging and pleading with my parents to enjoy a candy bar myself).  Never the less, I would hit the streets going door to door, and while I never did enjoy the rejection that I received many times, the moments where someone did buy a candy bar or two always seemed to brighten my spirits.  It was always such a joy to go to a door, ask for some help, and to have the person of the house grant your request.   

While I am thankful to the many people who helped out during my youth when I knocked, I realize today that we all have something even greater to be thankful about.  We are told in today's gospel, and even shown from the book of Esther, how God helps those who call upon Him.  We are told to ask and it will be given, seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be opened.  God is always looking out for us, and He is always willing to give us the things that we need.  Now our hearts and ideas may change over time, and the Lord really helps us work on those things.  For example, before my conversion, I used to play the lottery quite a bit.  It was during this time where I decided to pray about winning.  while I was not attending any sort of church at the time or a bit faithful, I still believed that there was a God and that He could help me win the lottery.  So I decided that I would try and make a deal with God; I would say, "God, if you can help me win this multi-million dollar jackpot, I will give half of it to some local churches and I will even start going to church on Sundays.  Seriously God, every Sunday, I promise!"  These were my ramblings after each ticket I would buy.  

Well, I never did win the money, but over time, God has made me a winner in other areas of life.  Today, I feel as though I have won the lottery.  I now have a life and relationship with the living God, each day I am getting to know the God who created me and who loves me so unconditionally.  The Lord has led me home to the Catholic Faith (where I now go to church every Sunday, and some weekdays too).  The Lord has also put a wonderful woman in my life, who I was blessed to be able to marry last year.  We are also expecting our first child in a month; in a way I really did hit the jackpot.  I didn't realize it at the time, but when I was asking for that money, I was asking for peace of mind and for happiness.  As most people do, I thought that the money would bring that, over time I realized that those things come from the Lord.  

So I can tell you from personal experience; ask and you shall receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened.  It may not be quite what you were expecting, but being a gift from God it will be exactly what you need and truly want.       

Father above, we thank you for the gift of this day.  Lord, we thank you and give you praise for all that we have and all that we are.  Lord, you are our God, help us to be all that you created us to be.  Lord, we know that you will never abandon us and that you seek to build us up each day.  Lord, help us to serve you with all that we are; and to let go of the things that tie us down to this world.  We ask this all through Christ our Lord.  Amen.