Ask, and it will be given to you

‘Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgement you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do you see the speck in your neighbour’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbour, “Let me take the speck out of your eye”, while the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbour’s eye.

‘Do not give what is holy to dogs; and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under foot and turn and maul you.

‘Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

‘In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.

- Matthew 7:1-12

There is so much that is packed into today's reading that I barely know where to start. We begin with the notion of judgment. We all understand Christ's repeated teachings that Judgment is, indeed, a part of the scenario we must keep in mind of cosmic significance. But here, I believe he is speaking of a different type of judgment that we are called upon not to make. ‘Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgement you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get.' Sometimes this word for judgment here is translated as "condemn." But this word can even be about the measurement of esteem you give to someone, selecting out from others as an example of something. This type of judgment is something different from discernment, for which we pray. Therefore, I believe, Jesus is teaching us to see others as our equals. As human beings, we stand before God as equals, with a basic state of being children of God. We are all equally responsible for the things we need to learn and know about ourselves, responsible for correction and self-knowledge. 'Why do you see the speck in your neighbour’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbour, “Let me take the speck out of your eye”, while the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbour’s eye.' Moreover, we are here to understand what it is to grow and change in a constant state of repentance so that we can help others. This is not condemnation, or valuing one above the other - this example in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount is one of helpfulness to others. In this light, even a rebuke can be a form of love. We are here to help one another. And again, as he has so often, Jesus preaches against hypocrisy.

‘Do not give what is holy to dogs; and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under foot and turn and maul you.' After we've been taught about improper practice of judgment, we read here what certainly seems like a judgment! But we are asked to practice discernment. Those who are not receptive to these teachings are not those with whom we share: not a rebuke made as a form of love, and not a positive teaching either. The response will be violent or hostile in some form of rejection. I think this very wise saying is quite often ignored in the attempt to "save" others. But if we think about it, this urge to "save" can be a false form of judgment, and it's also in some sense a denial of the free will God gives to each of us and so a denial of equality. We don't know what others will choose down the road or what is in their heart of hearts. Jesus' words here are wise, and for our own sakes as well it is better that we pay attention to them. Some of us have learned this the hard way.

‘Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!' It is my opinion that all of these teachings refer to holy and spiritual gifts - gifts of wisdom, discernment, grace. Those who do not wish to hear will reject every pearl. But these words are addressed to those who wish to cultivate a relationship with the Father. We are encouraged by Christ to persevere, especially through prayer, and we will receive spiritual gifts of abundance in return. Our Father loves us and shares Himself with us. We empty in order to be filled. The gifts of the Spirit are as myriad as the expanding cosmos: we cannot put limits on God nor the forms of grace these gifts might take. But we are to ask, and search, and knock! The "good gifts" of the Spirit are those things we can expect when we set out and keep on this journey through our lives. Whatever the prayer, God's help is available.

‘In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.' This is another version of the command to "love thy neighbor." My study bible says that the negative form of the Golden Rule is well-known in Judaism: "Don't do to others what you don't want them to do to you." Here, Jesus puts it in its positive form: we are told to actively pursue and live a life in which we do for others as we'd like for ourselves. Sometimes, we will be rejected by those others for following this advice; but it is our positive acts in doing God's will that lead us to God and God's forgiveness and grace. For me this is an extension of the thoughts expressed by Jesus' encouragement that we are to ask and search and knock. When we practice mercy and kindness, we are in effect practicing a form of active prayer and relationship to God. To ask, and seek, and knock can take many forms: prayer, study, and active forms of love. We use the mind and heart, we are God's "rational sheep." We put all gifts to use in spiritual effort. But we must be open to the receipt of grace, however it finds us and whatever we still need to learn.