Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time C. Our Lady of Grace. 5:15 and 9:30.   Genesis 18: 20-32.  Colossians 2: 12-14.  Luke 11: 1-13.

An old and lively grandmother loved to have her grandchildren come and visit her.  She would carefully bake all the best cookies and sweet things.  She would set out all the family’s favorite toys and games.  And best of all, she would fill the car with gas and her purse with extra money – ready to take her grandkids out for a wonderful day on the town.  She loved the visits of all of her grandchildren except for one.  Little Jimmy could never think of anything he wanted to do.  All of the others came filled with ideas that challenged Grandma’s generosity and creativity.  Little Jimmy would always say, “Grandma, we will do whatever you want.  I don’t want to do anything special.”    No matter how hard Grandma tried, little Jimmy always went home sad.   Grandma couldn’t figure out what Jimmy wanted and Jimmy wasn’t able or willing to even give her a hint about what he liked to do.   Grandma was sure that the hardest people to make happy were those who don’t or won’t say what they want.  With her other grandchildren she could always start with what they wanted and lead them from there to something even better.  With little Jimmy she didn’t know where to begin and she found it impossible to lead him to anything that would make him happy.

Jesus said, “Ask and you will receive; 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.”    Even God invites us to state clearly what we want.  It would appear that God also finds it difficult to deal with us when we don’t seem to know our wants and desires and act as if we have none.  When Jesus was about to face death on a cross he was overcome with anguish and sorrow.  He was very clear about what he wanted from the God he addressed as “Father”.  In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus fell prostrate on the ground and said, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will."   (Matthew 26:39)  Jesus knew that he did not want to be crucified.  He didn’t say, “Father, it really doesn’t really matter – do whatever you want.”   In facing his desire to escape the cross Jesus discovered again an even deeper desire within him than avoiding death.   Facing his fear and his desire to be saved from death in prayer, Jesus discovered the deepest desire in his heart.  Asking and seeking what he wanted in prayer was the doorway through which God the Father led Jesus to seek a far better thing – the will and the kingdom of God.   “Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”

Prayer is a life long process through which we learn who we are and what we really want.   Asking simply, honestly and humbly is the first step in the process of discovering our deepest desires and the will of God for our lives.  We begin praying by clearly stating to God and to ourselves what we really want here and now.    No matter how selfish or weak or even sinful our desires may be we begin the process of prayer by stating our desires clearly to God and to ourselves. God will lead us to the next step in the unfolding of our lives if we have the courage and the humility to ask for what we want now.

Many, many years ago, when I began the process of becoming a priest, I knew almost nothing about the priesthood.  I knew almost nothing about the Mass, except that it was the sacrifice of Christ and very holy.  The Mass was in Latin and the priest celebrated it with his back to the people.   I had never served Mass, not even once.   All I knew is that I wanted to do what God wanted me to do – at least I thought that’s what I wanted - and I could say that in prayer.  I knew nothing about the Second Vatican Council that would turn the Mass almost totally around.  I knew nothing of the joys and pressures of parish life.   I was even afraid to give a talk in speech class.  I didn’t know that Our Lady of Grace Parish existed.   All I did was to tell God that I was a teenager and often weak and unsure, and that I wanted to do something good for people and for God.  Asking led to seeking and finding.  Doors were opened that I didn’t even know existed.  Simple asking in prayer was the beginning of a long and amazing journey that I had not planned on taking.   Praying is always a learning process that leads us deeper and deeper into the will of God.  Jesus said, “What father among you would give his son or daughter a snake when the child asked for a fish.”   God always gives us more good things than we ask for.

Jesus said, “When you pray say, ‘Father, hallowed be your name, may your kingdom come.’”   The kingdom of God is the goal of our prayer and our lives.   All of us are still learning about the kingdom of God.  Most of us begin the process of seeking God’s kingdom by praying for simpler things like, “Father, I want to get married.”  “Lord, we want to have a baby.”  “Jesus, I want to be a doctor or a teacher or business person.”   “God, I just want to get through high school or college.”  In prayer one thing leads to another until we are able to say, “Father, may your kingdom come – I truly want to be a saint.”   For the grace of asking and seeking what we need or think we need very simply and relentlessly in prayer we give God thanks and praise.