Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 Which one of you would hand his son a stone when he asks for a loaf of bread, 10 or a snake when he asks for a fish? 11 If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him. 12 Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the law and the prophets.
Matthew 7:7-12 contains Jesus’ teaching on persistent prayer, the goodness of God, and the Golden Rule. The passage encourages believers to "ask, seek, and knock," promising that God, who is infinitely good, will respond to those who earnestly seek Him (vv. 7-11). The comparison to a human father giving good gifts to his children highlights God’s even greater generosity (cf. James 1:5, 17). The Golden Rule (v. 12), summing up the Law and the Prophets, reflects the love of neighbor emphasized throughout Scripture (Lev. 19:18; Tobit 4:15).
This teaching echoes Isaiah 55:6-9, which urges people to "seek the Lord while He may be found" and trust in His mercy. Just as Isaiah emphasizes God’s ways surpassing human understanding, Jesus calls His followers to trust in God's providence and seek Him with confidence.
Christ fulfills this passage by perfectly embodying the one who asks (John 17:1-5), seeks (Luke 19:10), and knocks (Rev. 3:20), and by being the ultimate gift of the Father (John 3:16). Through Him, believers receive the greatest good: participation in divine life (2 Peter 1:4). This passage also aligns with God's salvific plan, as persistent faith in God’s goodness is essential for salvation (Rom. 8:32; Heb. 11:6).
This passage is especially appropriate for Lent, a season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, because it encourages perseverance in prayer and reliance on God’s mercy. It calls believers to seek the Lord with trust, mirroring the Lenten call to conversion and deeper communion with God (Joel 2:12-13). It also prepares the faithful to embrace the generosity of God, ultimately revealed in Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection—the greatest gift the Father has given to humanity (John 3:16; Rom. 8:32). Through the Paschal Mystery, God answers the deepest longing of the human heart, inviting all to share in His divine life.
Heavenly Father, You are the giver of every good gift, inviting us to ask, seek, and knock with trust in Your mercy. As we journey through this Lenten season, deepen our faith, strengthen our perseverance in prayer, and open our hearts to Your will. Help us to seek You above all things and to reflect Your generosity in love for our neighbor. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Sources
- McSorley, Joseph. An Outline History of the Church by Centuries (From St. Peter to Pius XII). 2nd ed., B. Herder Book Co., 1944.
- Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
- Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: The Pentateuch. Four Courts Press, 2017
- Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, 1990.
- Charpentier, Etienne. How to Read the Old Testament. Translated by John Bowden, 1981.
- Komonchak, Joseph, et al., editors. The New Dictionary of Theology.
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