Saturday of the Sixth Week of Easter

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/051912.cfm

1. John 11.22: But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.
2. John 14.13: I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
3. John 14.14: If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.
4. John 14.16: And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you for ever.
5. John 15:7: If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
6. John 15.16: You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name.
7. John 16.23: On that day you will ask nothing of me. Very truly, I tell you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.
8. John 16.24: Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.
9. John 16.26-27: On that day you will ask in my name. I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.
10. John 17.9: I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours.

I ask some Veterans about their experience of asking in the military. They assured me they could ask for anything and it would be given to them. I was rather surprised. But of course they asked for the equipment and tools and training that would help them do their jobs, and they had very good experience.

The word ask is used 52 times in the Gospel of Saint John, which seemed a lot to me. It’s a very important part of what goes on in human conversation. And, as the above ten samples show, it’s a huge part of our relationship with God. Jesus repeatedly and persistently tells us, “Ask for anything and I will do it.”

Asking is a sign of need and dependence. That’s often hard to admit. But if we’re to do God’s will we must frequently ask for God’s direction, strength, courage and help. Whatever your station in the Church – parent, spouse, catechist, minister, musician or active parishioner -- you need certain tools. They might be material objects or personal qualities, guidelines or instructions or something else. You're helpless without them and God will certainly provide them.

Most especially we need God’s Holy Spirit, which Jesus calls advocate and Paraclete. If you have any doubt at all, read over those ten verses again. And ask!