No matter who we are or where we live, our daily lives involve two universal elements - giving and receiving.

God already knows what we need - God knows our very hearts. Why, then, does Jesus ask us to voice our petitions to the Father? Naming our needs before the Lord is a simple but powerful reminder of our human condition - we are deeply dependant on God. No matter how knowledgeable or technologically advanced the human race becomes, we still need God. Yet, will the Lord respond to our needs? God loves us and loves us immensely. Jesus promises that who ask will ultimately receive.

Today's Gospel also contains what has come to be known as the Golden Rule - "do unto others as you would have them do unto you." The Gospel of Matthew includes the words, "in everything" at the beginning of this phrase. We are invited to make this behaviour a way of life. It is a call to be less self-centred and more aware of the needs of others. It means not merely responding to the good actions of someone else, but rather anticipating the loving thing to do, and taking the initiative to do it.