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“ask, and you will receive” (mt 7:7)
“They did not dare ask Him anything else.” —Luke 20:40
The two holy witnesses in today’s first reading “harassed” the earth with the fire of their prophetic words (Rv 11:10). The people of the earth could not withstand them (Rv 11:5-6). It was the same for Jesus. No one could defeat Him in debate or by attempting to trap Him with questions (Lk 20:26). So they no longer dared to ask Jesus anything (Lk 20:40).
This follows the pattern of King Ahaz. When Isaiah encouraged Ahaz to ask the Lord for a sign (see Is 7:12), Ahaz said, “I will not ask!” Ahaz had already made up his mind; he would not ask the Lord for direction. The Jewish leaders would not ask Jesus for guidance; they had already decided on His destruction. Moreover, they didn’t want to lose yet another debate to Him. They did not obtain God’s grace because they would not ask (see Jas 4:2).
The two holy witnesses rose from the dead (Rv 11:11-12). So did Jesus. Jesus’ opponents did not dare to ask Him questions, since they would be defeated. However, Jesus wants to be asked about many things (see Mt 7:7; Jn 16:24). He so desires to reveal Himself and the Father and the Holy Spirit to us that He gave us the Church. He wants us to ask questions not to try to defeat Him but rather to defeat our ego, our old self that rebels against Him.
The two witnesses, symbolizing the Church Jesus built, cannot be defeated. Many have tried to crush the Church; it still remains (see Mt 16:18). Therefore, submit to the Church and to Jesus. Dare to ask Jesus for the grace to receive rather than resist.
Prayer: Father, I humble myself to ask everything of You that You wish. Teach me to ask rightly (Jas 4:3).
Promise: “All are alive for Him.” —Lk 20:38
Praise: Sts. Joachim and Anne, parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary, presented her to the Jewish priests at the age of three to be raised by them in the Temple (cf 1 Sm 1:22-28). She was immersed in the Word of God from a very early age.
Reference: (This teaching was submitted by a member of our editorial team.)
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