Homilies on the Gospel of St. Matthew

⁵ And if you doubt my affirmation, at any rate believe His example.

“For what man is there of you,” says He, “whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?”

Because, as among men, if you keep on doing so, you are even accounted troublesome, and disgusting: so with God, when you do not so, then thou dost more entirely provoke Him. And if you continue asking, though thou receive not at once, thou surely wilt receive. For to this end was the door shut, that He may induce you to knock: to this end He does not straightway assent, that you may ask. Continue then to do these things, and you will surely receive. For that you might not say, “What then if I should ask and not receive?” He has blocked up your approach with that similitude, again framing arguments, and by those human things urging us to be confident on these matters; implying by them that we must not only ask, but ask what we ought.

“For which of you is there, a father, of whom if his son shall ask bread, will he give him a stone?” So that if you receive not, your asking a stone is the cause of your not receiving. For though thou be a son, this suffices not for your receiving: rather this very thing even hinders your receiving, that being a son, you ask what is not profitable.

Do thou also therefore ask nothing worldly, but all things spiritual, and you will surely receive. For so Solomon, because he asked what he ought, behold how quickly he received. Two things now, you see, should be in him that prays, asking earnestly, and asking what he ought: “since you too,” says He, “though ye be fathers, wait for your sons to ask: and if they should ask of you anything inexpedient, you refuse the gifts; just as, if it be expedient, you consent and bestow it.” Do thou too, considering these things, not withdraw until thou receive; until thou have found, retire not; relax not your diligence, until the door be opened. For if you approach with this mind, and say, “Except I receive, I depart not;” you will surely receive, provided thou ask such things, as are both suitable for Him of whom you ask to give, and expedient for you the petitioner. But what are these? To seek the things spiritual, all of them; to forgive them that have trespassed, and so to draw near asking forgiveness; “to lift up holy hands without wrath and doubting.” If we thus ask, we shall receive. As it is, surely our asking is a mockery, and the act of drunken rather than of sober men.

“What then,” says one, “if I ask even spiritual things, and do not receive?” You did not surely knock with earnestness; or you made yourself unworthy to receive; or quickly left off.

“And wherefore,” it may be inquired, “did He not say, what things we ought to ask”? Nay verily, He has mentioned them all in what precedes, and has signified for what things we ought to draw near. Say not then, “I drew near, and did not receive.” For in no case is it owing to God that we receive not, God who loves us so much as to surpass even fathers, to surpass them as far as goodness does this evil nature.

“For if you, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more your heavenly Father.”

Now this He said, not to bring an evil name on man's nature, nor to condemn our race as bad; but in contrast to His own goodness He calls paternal tenderness evil, so great is the excess of His love to man.

Do you see an argument unspeakable, of power to arouse to good hopes even him that has become utterly desperate?

Now here indeed He signifies His goodness by means of our fathers, but in what precedes by the chief among His gifts, by the “soul,” by the body. And nowhere does He set down the chief of all good things, nor bring forward His own coming:— for He who thus made speed to give up His Son to the slaughter, “how shall He not freely give us all things?”— because it had not yet come to pass. But Paul indeed sets it forth, thus saying, “He that spared not His own Son, how shall He not also with Him freely give us all things.” But His discourse with them is still from the things of men.