In last week's gospel we looked at prayers of thanks, today’s focus is on prayers of petition and the importance of being persistent in prayer. Jesus told a story to the people gathered around Him. The purpose of the parable was to encourage them not to become disheartened when praying, instead they should keep on asking for what we want because God will hear and answer our prayers. At times the answer to our prayers may not come in the form that we expect or hope for but it is important not to lose hope or lose faith. The key message in this gospel is to become persistent in our prayer and place our trust in God.