John 16:23-27 NRSVue

²³On that day you will ask nothing of me. Very truly, I tell you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. ²⁴Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.

²⁵“I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures but will tell you plainly of the Father. ²⁶On that day you will ask in my name. I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf, ²⁷for the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.^,

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Further reflection

/The Father himself loves you/. This is where I fit into the inner dynamic of the Blessed Trinity. As Jesus is joined to the Father through the Holy Spirit, so too are we, because Jesus is our brother.

We ask often in prayer and sometimes prayer is answered very directly. Even when this appears not to happen, no prayer, like no act in love, is wasted. The true gift of prayer is always the Father's love, given to us no matter what we ask for. We are always gifted with the Spirit of Jesus, alive in our lives and in our love. We ask always in his name, knowing that in his name God will always hear us, inspire us, direct us and love us.