Asking and Receiving

Gospel: Matthew 7: 7-12

As self-interested beings we see this Gospel passage as about ourselves and what we can obtain from God in prayer.  We bring our petitions before God like a child bringing her list of toy requests to Santa: we want material things, relief from problems, healing from ailments, and mercy for our sins.  Our lists and demands are endless and incessant, and we believe we will receive these things because this passage tells us so, or the part that we choose for our focus.  

But perhaps this passage isnt' about prayer or our own self-interested pursuits therein.  Perhaps it is more about how we treat others.  We want God to give us all these things noted above, but are we willing to grant similar things to others?  We want material things - are we sharing such with others? We want relief and healing and mercy, but are we extending those things to other people? We cannot expect to receive such things if we ourselves are engrossed in a selfish suburban lifestyle.

Jesus went about providing healing, liberation, and nourishment to all sorts of people - friend and foe, native and foreigner, neighbor and stranger.  Jesus received nothing in return for such care for others.  He calls us to live such a life of mercy as well, a life not governed by self-intesrest but one animated by solidarity and the common good.  When we go to God with these requests for ourselves, let us remember how we are called to provide such to others in their need.