Be ready to receive something different from our prayers.Untitled Homily

When we ask for anything in prayer, we should always be ready to accept God’s will, even if it does not coincide with our own.

What we see in the Gospel is another petition to Jesus.

In the first petition, they ask for wine, then we see a lot of healing: the lame, the blind, paralytics, lepers, dying people, and people possessed by demons asking for deliverance.

Many asked for miracles; others wanted Him to be a judge in matters of inheritance. Most of them asked for deliverance from temporal suffering, while only a few asked for things necessary for salvation, and only one asked for salvation—the thief.

What we find in today’s Gospel is another request: they want to be first. Their petition was very out of place, as Jesus was announcing His Passion, and they were asking for the highest places.

Jesus answered by giving them what they really needed, not what they wanted.

What are our petitions to Jesus? Do I ask only for things for this life, only for myself, or do I ask for things that lead me to salvation?

A priest in Syria told the people to ask for whatever they wanted. He was a bit afraid of how to handle all these material requests.

We do not need anything; we give thanks to God: that we have lost everything, but we have not lost the faith.

What a difference with our countries, many of them have all they need but they lose the faith and the love of God.

Ask God; God is glorified when we ask, even for things for our daily lives. But as Saint Paul says, "Seek the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God."

Moreover, be ready to receive something different when you ask God for something.

These disciples asked for honors, but Jesus gave them suffering. You cannot participate in the glory of Christ if you do not suffer with Him.

Review your petitions, and your prayers. The first and most important is: "God, give me the grace to save me, do not allow me to be eternally lost, and give me the things that You consider necessary for my daily life."

I hope you learn, like these people in the war, that the most important thing is faith.

Let nothing disturb thee,

Nothing affright thee; All things are passing; God never changeth; Patient endurance Attaineth to all things; Who God possesseth In nothing is wanting; Alone God sufficeth