Saturday of the Fourth Week of Easter

            Today’s Gospel, from the early verses of chapter 14 of John’s Gospel, is one that we’ve heard and will hear about four times: we heard verses 6-14 on Wednesday for Saints Philip and James, verses 1-6 on Friday, verses 7-14 today, Saturday, and verses 1-12 tomorrow. So, today, we can consider just the last two verses, where Jesus tells us in no uncertain terms: “And whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it.”

This seems a little confusing, because Jesus is adamant that whatever and anything we ask of Him in His name, He’ll do. However, all of us have had experiences where God hasn’t granted what we’ve asked for. How do we make sense of this? Fortunately, the great Saint Augustine, centuries ago, asked the same question, and, commenting on this passage, gives the following explanation. He says: “Whatsoever you shall ask. Then why do we often see believers asking, and not receiving? Perhaps it is that they ask wrongly. When a man would make a bad use of what he asks for, God in His mercy does not grant him it. Still if God even in kindness often refuses the requests of believers, how are we to understand, Whatsoever you shall ask in My name, I will do? Was this said to the Apostles only? No. Jesus says above, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do. And if we go to the lives of the Apostles themselves, we shall find that he who labored more than all the rest, prayed that the messenger of Satan might depart from him, but was not granted his request. But pay attention: doesn’t our Lord lay down a certain condition? In My name, which is Christ Jesus. Christ means King, Jesus, Savior. Therefore whatever we ask for that would hinder our salvation, we do not ask in our Savior’s name and yet He is our Savior, not only when He does what we ask, but also when He does not. When He sees us ask any thing to the disadvantage of our salvation, He shows Himself our Savior by not doing it. The physician knows whether what the sick man asks for is to the advantage or disadvantage of his health; and does not allow what would be to his hurt, though the sick man himself desires it; but looks to his final cure. And some things we may even ask in His name, and He will not grant them us at the time, though He will some time. What we ask for is deferred, not denied. He adds, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. The Son does not do any thing without the Father, inasmuch as He does it in order that the Father may be glorified in Him.”

Therefore whatever we ask for that would hinder our salvation, we do not ask in our Savior’s name and yet He is our Savior, not only when He does what we ask, but also when He does not. When He sees us ask any thing to the disadvantage of our salvation, He shows Himself our Savior by not doing it. . . .  And some things we may even ask in His name, and He will not grant them us at the time, though He will some time. What we ask for is deferred, not denied.

Today, through the intercession of Mary, Model of Prayer, let’s ask for the grace to trust in God, and make our prayers truly in Jesus’ name.