"Ask, and you will receive”… In today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches his disciples how to pray, giving them (and us!) a version of the beautiful prayer we know as the “Our Father” or “Lord’s Prayer.” Jesus then encourages his disciples to “ask, seek, and knock…” Let’s not hesitate to come before God with our needs, and ask God to answer our prayers. We have a wonderful example of that in today’s First Reading, when Abraham and God have an interesting conversation. Abraham certainly respects God, yet is comfortable enough to enter into a dialogue. Prayer is a conversation with God. In order to do so, we need to have a relationship with God that is honest and loving. We express our love for God by having enough faith to say, “Your will be done.”
Saints be praised!… Throughout the year, the Church’s daily liturgical calendar often celebrates a particular saint. Some saint celebrations are optional, while others are mandatory. During this coming week, we have three significant saint celebrations. Here are some interesting tidbits about them:
• July 25 is the Feast of Saint James. But did you know that there are more than one Saint James? July 25 celebrates Saint James the Apostle, who is called “the Greater” because he followed Christ before the “other” Saint James (who is celebrated on May 3, and is sometimes called “St. James the Less,” but not because he wasn’t as good as the other one!)
• July 26 is the memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Another way we can envision this feast is that it celebrates Jesus’ grandparents! But did you know that the names of Joachim and Anne are not mentioned in the Bible? No need to be alarmed, as they are named in an early church document from the second century.
• July 29 used to be the memorial of Saint Martha. But just last year, in 2021, Pope Francis changed this! Don’t worry, as we still celebrate Saint Martha. But Pope Francis expanded this feast to include Mary (Martha’s sister) and Lazarus (their brother). The new title of the memorial, “Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus,” expresses in a wonderful way their family spirit, friendship, and faith.