Dear friends, as we reflect on our readings from Galatians and the Gospel of Luke, given to us in the Liturgy of the Word in today’s Holy Mass, we encounter profound themes of faith, persistence, and the ever-abiding gift of the Holy Spirit. St. Paul addresses the Galatians with a sense of urgency and perhaps frustration, exclaiming, “O stupid Galatians! Who has bewitched you?” His passionate plea reverberates through the centuries, calling us all to reflect on the foundations of our faith and to truly make an effort to know it well if we hope to express it in our daily lives.
In the first reading, St. Paul poses a crucial question: “Did you receive the Spirit through the works of the law or by faith in what you heard?” This challenge invites us to examine the nature of our own faith. Are we, too, tempted to rely on our own efforts and accomplishments to merit God’s grace? It is all too easy to fall into a mindset that equates our worthiness with our actions, rather than resting in the liberating truth of faith. Inversely, it is easy to rest too much on faith, without producing the proper and accompanying works. Faith is the key, but faith without works is dead, as Saint James reminds us.
This brings us to a beautiful parallel in the Gospel reading from Luke. Jesus speaks about the nature of persistence in prayer. He encourages his disciples to boldly approach God with their needs. “Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened.”
The persistence of that friend asking for bread teaches us about the posture of our hearts toward God—approaching Him not with the weight of entitlement, but with humble expectation knowing that a prior relationship means something.
Saint Francis of Assisi, whom we honor for his profound faith and commitment to the Gospel, exemplified this persistent seeking. He was a man who turned his life upside down in pursuit of God’s kingdom. Francis understood that true wealth did not come from works, but from a heartfelt relationship with Jesus Christ. He lived each day in the embrace of the Holy Spirit, embracing the simplicity of faith that invites all of God’s creation into a loving relationship with a providential God. Francis’ despoiling himself of earthly attachments was precisely him making it easier for himself to rely on God’s providence and to not exchange the living God for the false securities of the world, otherwise he might end up like the foolish man in one of Jesus’ gospels who had so much grain he decided to build more storage so that he could “feel at ease” knowing he had plenty in reserve, while that very night, while making these very calculations, his earthly life would end and he would have to give an accounting before God. Man proposes—God disposes. Does this mean we don’t prepare, and create for ourselves some sense of security? No. It just means that we do not do this apart from a strong faith in God’s providence. In other words, we do not replace God with anything and anyone, including the security of wealth.
Now, let us turn our hearts to the Blessed Virgin Mary, who stands as the perfect model of faith for us all. In her humility and courage, Mary said “yes” to God, not based on her own merits, but in complete trust in His promise for though she possessed the highest merits and virtue, she was also the most humble. When the Angel Gabriel announced to her that she was to bear the Son of God, her response was initially a question for clarification, but one of openness and faith leading her to proclaim: “Let it be done to me according to your word.” In the face of uncertainty, she did not rely on her understanding but instead leaned into the movement of the Spirit, becoming the first to receive the greatest gift—the presence of Jesus in her womb.
This same Mother, who continually intercedes for us, reminds us that persistence in prayer goes hand in hand with faith. Just as she sought God in her life, so too are we called to seek Him daily. Each time we approach the altar, each time we kneel in
prayer, we enter the sacred space of God's profound love and generosity. The Holy Spirit pours out His gifts upon us, if only we would ask, seek, and knock. Jesus assures us that prayer works. And he tells us to pray without ceasing, which makes it even more challenging. Upon finding his apostles asleep when he had asked them to pray during his agony in the garden, Jesus said to them; “pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Mark 14:38. This was a request by our Lord that Peter and the others took to heart, even though they had failed this first time out. Peter would later write: “Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour” 1 Peter 5:8.
So, dear friends, as we go forth from this Eucharistic celebration today, let us recommit ourselves to the journey of faith, to the practice of persistent prayer, and to the joyous reception of the gifts of the Spirit. May we draw inspiration from the unwavering faith of St. Francis and the trusting heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, whose lives illuminate the path of discipleship.
Let us pray for the grace to embrace faith wholeheartedly, abandoning any illusions of self-sufficiency, and instead, seeking refuge in the loving arms of our Heavenly Father, who delights in giving us His Holy Spirit. Amen.
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