James writes in today's Second Reading: "You do not have, because you do not ask." How many of us are too afraid to ask God in prayer for what we really need? Do we forget that our God is a Father who knows our needs better than any earthly parent and is always ready to give? (cf. Mtt 7: 7-11) Prayer, raising our hearts and minds to God, means that we need to trust God and allow intimacy (into-me-see) with Him. This entails that God sees the whole of me including my desires for things or outcomes which are close to my heart. James warns us however: "You ask and you do not receive, because you ask wrongly, in order to spend what you get on your pleasure." God knows that self-indulgence and excess are harmful to us as are selfishness and greed. As Father he will not give us what is toxic. It is our flawed nature that distorts our appreciation of our own good. The conversation of prayer helps purify our heart and clear our vision to what God wants and therefore what we really need: "Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God." (Mtt 5: 8)
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