Monday, January 21, 2008

Jn 16, 21-24 Ask and you will receive

(Jn 16, 21-24) Ask and you will receive
[21] When a woman is in labor, she is in anguish because her hour has arrived; but when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy that a child has been born into the world. [22] So you also are now in anguish. But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. [23] On that day you will not question me about anything. Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you. [24] Until now you have not asked anything in my name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.
(CCC 2814) The sanctification of his name among the nations depends inseparably on our life and our prayer: We ask God to hallow his name, which by its own holiness saves and makes holy all creation .... It is this name that gives salvation to a lost world. But we ask that this name of God should be hallowed in us through our actions. For God's name is blessed when we live well, but is blasphemed when we live wickedly. As the Apostle says: "The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you." We ask then that, just as the name of God is holy, so we may obtain his holiness in our souls (St. Peter Chrysologus, Sermo 71, 4: PL 52:402A; cf. Rom 2:24; Ezek 36:20-22). When we say "hallowed be thy name," we ask that it should be hallowed in us, who are in him; but also in others whom God's grace still awaits, that we may obey the precept that obliges us to pray for everyone, even our enemies. That is why we do not say expressly "hallowed be thy name 'in us,"' for we ask that it be so in all men (Tertullian, De orat. 3: PL 1:1157A). (CCC 2815) This petition embodies all the others. Like the six petitions that follow, it is fulfilled by the prayer of Christ. Prayer to our Father is our prayer, if it is prayed in the name of Jesus (Cf. Jn 14:13; 15:16; 16:24, 26). In his priestly prayer, Jesus asks: "Holy Father, protect in your name those whom you have given me" (Jn 17:11).

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