The Holy Martyrs Menas, Victor, and Vincent; The Holy Martyr Stefanida;. Our Venerable Father and Confessor Theodore the Studite.
1 Thessalonians 1:6-10; Luke 11:1-10.
Read Luke 11:1-10
Jesus not only teaches us how to pray but also to be persistent in prayer. He teaches us to address God as “Father.” At the Divine Liturgy, the priest prays: “Make us worthy, O Master, with confidence and without condemnation to dare call You, the heavenly God, Father, and say,” immediately before the whole assembly prays the Our Father. How amazing it is that we creatures can turn to God and affectionately call Him “Father!” In St. Paul’s letter to the Romans, he reminds them: “You have received the spirit of sonship. When we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ it is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him” (Rom. 8:15-17). By our faith and initiation into the Church through the Mysteries of Baptism, Chrismation, and the Eucharist, we can properly be called adopted children of God (see Gal. 4:5)! Jesus tells us to be persistent in prayer and uses the parable of going to a friend at midnight to ask for bread. Even if the friend does not immediately get up to help, he will eventually rise and help because of the asker’s persistence (Lk. 11:8). Elsewhere Jesus reminds us that “if you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (Mt. 7:11). Again, Jesus teaches us to view God as our loving Father. God is our loving Father who gives good things to us, and we should continually pray to Him and ask Him for all that which is beneficial for our salvation.