A homily on Luke 11 : 5–13 reflecting on the perseverance of Keep on Knocking, highlighting the Power of Persistent Prayer and the Generosity of God” (8-10-25)
Praise be to Jesus Christ
It was late at night in a quiet village. The stars hung low, and all the homes were silent except for one—the house of a young mother. Her little child was burning with fever. She had already given all the medicine she had, but the fever wouldn’t break. Desperate and frightened, she wrapped her shawl around her and ran through the dark lanes to her neighbour’s house. She knocked on his door again and again, calling out, “Please, I need some water and herbs for my child. He is burning with fever.”
The neighbour, awakened from sleep, hesitated at first. It was midnight, and his family was asleep. But the knocking didn’t stop. Her voice was trembling with love and persistence. Finally, moved by her plea, he opened the door, gave her what she needed, and said, “You could have come tomorrow, but I see now—you couldn’t wait.” By morning, the fever had broken, and the little child slept peacefully. The mother knelt beside him and whispered, “Thank you, Lord, for hearing me even when it was midnight.”
This simple story mirrors the heart of today’s Gospel passage from Luke 11:5–13, where Jesus tells the parable of the friend who knocks at midnight. It is a story not merely about bread, but about faith that refuses to give up, about the kind of prayer that is bold, trusting, and persistent.
Through this story, Jesus reveals that God is not a reluctant giver. He is not like the friend who needs to be persuaded to open the door. Rather, He is a loving Father who delights in giving good gifts to His children. Jesus uses human analogies to drive home the truth: if even flawed, imperfect parents know how to care for their children, “how much more” will our heavenly Father give the best gift—the Holy Spirit—to those who ask Him.
The central theme of this passage is persistence in prayer rooted in trust. Jesus urges His followers: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. ”Each verb—ask, seek, knock—shows an increasing level of intensity and engagement. Prayer is not passive; it is active, dynamic, and expectant. “Asking” is verbal expression of need; “seeking” is putting faith into action; “knocking” is perseverance even when the answer seems delayed.
This doesn’t mean God is reluctant or that we can manipulate Him with repetition. Rather, Jesus is teaching that persistent prayer transforms the one who prays. In the process of asking and waiting, we learn patience, humility, and faith. We begin to see that prayer is not only about getting what we want, but about being drawn closer to the One who gives what we truly need. Jesus contrasts the hesitant friend and imperfect human fathers with the generosity of God. A human father, though imperfect, wouldn’t give his child a snake instead of a fish or a scorpion instead of an egg. If this is true even of earthly love, how much more is it true of divine love?
This comparison reveals the trustworthy and compassionate nature of God. He is not indifferent to our needs. He doesn’t give harmful things when we ask for good. Sometimes, the answers to our prayers are delayed or come in forms we don’t expect—not because God ignores us, but because He sees beyond our immediate desires. He knows what will truly nourish our souls. And above all, Jesus tells us that God’s greatest gift is the Holy Spirit—the divine presence that strengthens, comforts, and guides us. When we pray persistently, we are not just asking for material things but opening our hearts to receive God Himself.
This passage invites us to examine our own approach to prayer and faith. Often, when we don’t get quick results, we stop praying. But Jesus calls us to persevere—to keep asking, seeking, and knocking. Prayer is not a transaction; it’s a relationship. The door will open in God’s time, not ours. It reminds us Our prayers should flow from confidence in God’s goodness. Even when life’s circumstances seem dark, we can believe that the Father knows what we need better than we do. Every unanswered prayer may be a deeper call to trust.
Sometimes, what we ask for is not what we truly need. God’s answers often come in disguised blessings. The “bread” He gives may not look like what we requested, but it always nourishes us spiritually.
God may not always answer in the way or time we expect, but He always answers in love. The more we persist in seeking Him, the more we discover that the greatest gift is not the bread we ask for, but the Giver Himself—the Holy Spirit dwelling within us.
So, let us keep asking, keep seeking, and keep knocking—confident that our loving Father always opens the door to those who come to Him with faithful hearts.
Prayer: Oh Jesus give me the grace of perseverance …
