Jesus commands us: "Ask, and you will receive" (Mt 7:7). However, the Lord tells us: "You do not obtain because you do not ask. You ask and you do not receive because you ask wrongly, with a view to squandering what you receive on your pleasures" (Jas 4:2-3). Often the Lord must say to us: "You do not know what you are asking" (Mk 10:38). We must ask the Lord for His grace, blessings, forgiveness, and mercy, but we must not ask in ignorance or selfishness.

If we base our prayers on the Bible, we will be more likely to ask in the right way. For instance, the writer of Sirach can teach us to ask God for help. In just a few verses, he prays:

• "Come to our aid, O God of the universe" (Sir 36:1).
• "Put all the nations in dread of You!" (Sir 36:1)
• "Give new signs and work new wonders; show forth the splendor of Your right hand and arm" (Sir 36:5).
• "Rouse Your anger, pour out wrath, humble the enemy, scatter the foe" (Sir 36:6).
• "Show mercy to the people called by Your name" (Sir 36:11).
• "Give evidence of Your deeds of old; fulfill the prophecies spoken in Your name" (Sir 36:14).
• "Reward those who have hoped in You" (Sir 36:15).

We ask for all these things not to get what we want but that "it will be known to the very ends of the earth" that Yahweh is "the eternal God" (Sir 36:17). Ask from the Bible and for the Lord.

Rescript:  †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, November 2, 2012

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