Jesus said to his disciples: "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. ( Matt 7:7-8).
God is good all the time.
“Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.” This prayer of David should encourage us to pray, pray now, and pray more to ask God, who “hears the cry of the poor” for help ( Cf. Psalm 34).
In today’s gospel, Jesus employs familiar concepts of asking, seeking, and knocking to ask the disciples to pray to God, indicating how close he is to them. Asking is no different from seeking and knocking. Jesus used them to suggest both emphasis and persistence in prayer, which turn God's heart towards us.
Asking is easy, but that it is also relational; a lot depends on the closeness of the people involved. A father-child relationship was fundamental to Jesus' life and ministry as he deeply portrayed in his interactions. Jesus considered a close connection with the Father as dispensable piece of his life and ministry. “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working( Jn5:17).
The essential thing for us now is to recognize and accept the relationship God offers and has with us. Once we have this relationship going stronger each day, Jesus assures us that God will not be passive to our needs; it is rather typical of Him to bless us with what we ask of Him as a Father.
What we need now are courage and grace not to forget to pray, to pray now, and to pray daily to ask for God’s help. Amen.