Day 317: Persistence in Prayer (2026)

Mike Schmitz (0:04)

Hi, my name is Fr. Mike Schmitz, and you're listening to The Bible in a Year podcast, where we encounter God's voice and live life through the lens of scripture. The Bible in a Year podcast is brought to you by Ascension. Using The Great Adventure Bible Timeline, we'll read all the way from Genesis to Revelation, discovering how the story of salvation unfolds and how we fit into that story today. It is day 317 We're reading two chapters from the Gospel according to Luke, that's Luke chapters 11 and 12, also Proverbs chapter 26 verses 7 through 9 As always, the Bible translation we're reading from is the Revised Standard Version, Second Catholic Edition. I'm using The Great Adventure Bible from Ascension. If you want to download your own Bible in a Year reading plan, you can visit ascensionpress.com/bible in a Year because you have about a page and a quarter to go, roughly, give or take. I think I'm estimating about that. If you want, gosh, you know, don't pass up this opportunity to be able to mark off every day, every day. Also, you can subscribe to this podcast by clicking on subscribe and receiving daily episodes and daily updates. Today is Day 317, reading Luke Chapters 11 and 12, Proverbs 26, Verses 7 through 9

The Gospel According to Luke, Chapter 11, The Lord's Prayer.

He was praying in a certain place, and when he ceased, one of his disciples said to him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples. And he said to them, When you pray, say, Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us, and lead us not into temptation.

Perseverance in prayer. And he said to them, Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him. And he will answer from within, Do not bother me, the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything. I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity, he will rise and give him whatever he needs. And I tell you, ask and it will be given you, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent, or if he asks for an egg will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?

Jesus and Beelzebul.

Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke and the people marveled. But some of them said, He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, while others, to test him, sought from him a sign from heaven. But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and house falls upon house. And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. But when one stronger than he assails him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil. He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.

The Return of the Unclean Spirit When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he passes through waterless places seeking rest, and finding none, he says, I will return to my house from which I came. And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order. Then he goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.