In Luke’s Gospel this week, Jesus teaches His disciples how to pray, offering them what we now know as the Lord’s Prayer. This passage highlights the deep relationship between God and those who seek Him in prayer. Jesus doesn’t just give a formula—He reveals a God who is intimately kind, generous, and attentive to His children.
At the heart of this teaching is the understanding that prayer is rooted in the kindness of God. Jesus begins by inviting the disciples to call God “Father,” a term that conveys both intimacy and trust. This is not a distant or harsh deity, but a loving parent who welcomes even the imperfect prayers of His stumbling children. The disciples, who often misunderstand Jesus and struggle in their faith, are still invited to pray boldly and confidently. This reflects a crucial truth: we do not need to be perfect to approach God in prayer. His kindness makes room for our weakness.
Jesus then shares a parable about a persistent friend who asks for bread at midnight. While the friend may initially refuse, persistence leads to a response. The point is not that God is reluctant like the friend in the story, but that if even flawed human beings will eventually respond to need, how much more will our good and loving God respond to us? Jesus assures us that everyone who asks receives, and those who seek will find.
The ultimate gift promised in this passage is not material wealth or easy answers, but the Holy Spirit. Jesus tells His disciples that the Father will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask. This shows us that the greatest answer to prayer is not necessarily a change in our circumstances, but the presence and power of God within us. The Spirit becomes the sustaining force for the disciples’ mission and for our journey as believers.
In this passage, Jesus teaches us that prayer is not a performance or obligation but a relationship of trust with a generous Father. It is through prayer that we receive the Spirit—the ultimate resource that equips us to live, serve, and witness in God’s name.
Fr Stephen Berecz
