Thursday – 27th Week in Ordinary Time

Gospel – Luke 11:5-13

Knock, Knock

Entrance to Greek Patriarchy, Jerusalem

We had dinner Monday night with Judy and Pat, one of my ordination classmates.  Given the chaos of the past year and a half, it was a wonderful time to laugh, reminisce and even to plan ahead for future visits.  But it was also a time to reflect back on all the times I ‘knocked’ on Pat’s door and how quickly and lovingly he ‘opened’ his door and welcomed me in!  Shuttling me back and forth to deacon formation classes when I couldn’t drive myself due to eye surgery!  His (and Judy’s) hospitality in opening their ‘shack’ to us when we needed a break from the cares of life!  Always there when I organized a cohort dinner!  Always an attentive and compassionate ear when life dealt me a low blow!  There is no amount of zucchini bread that could adequately thank him for his compassion, his open-door policy, and most importantly his friendship!

Most of the time when we read today’s Gospel, we place ourselves in the role of the homeowner awakened in the middle of the night.  The idea was that God was calling – do we answer?  But today we stand on the other side of the door.  We are that friend in need!  It’s not an easy thing to seek help in a time of crisis, to admit that you are overwhelmed and cannot manage on your own.  There’s a certain helplessness in knocking on that door in the middle of the night.  But the relief, the release of despair, is so tangible when that friend opens their door and welcomes us in!  Such love, such compassion!

So just a simple reminder today!  God is always on the other side of that door, ready to open His door and His heart to us whenever the weight of the world comes crashing down on us.  So keep knocking!  Day in, day out, keep knocking!!

 

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