Daily Gospel Reading: Matthew 6: 7-15
Jesus said to his disciples:
“In praying, do not babble like the pagans,
who think that they will be heard because of their many words.
Do not be like them.
Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
“This is how you are to pray:
‘Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.’
“If you forgive others their transgressions,
your heavenly Father will forgive you.
But if you do not forgive others,
neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”
Jesus said to his disciples:
“In praying, do not babble like the pagans,
who think that they will be heard because of their many words.
Do not be like them.
Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
“This is how you are to pray:
‘Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.’
“If you forgive others their transgressions,
your heavenly Father will forgive you.
But if you do not forgive others,
neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”
Many books have been written about the Lord's Prayer. It is the most perfect prayer because it was taught to us by Jesus. Notice one thing about this passage. When the apostles ask jesus to teach them to pray he told them, "when you pray...." Jesus tells us how we should pray and we should begin, Our Father...... This is not the way Jesus prayed. His prayer would have started, My Father....
There is another point. God is addressed as Our Father because we come to God as community. Prayer is never for ourselves alone. We ask that "our" sins be forgiven. The Church comes to God as community. Jesus came to save everyone, not individuals and we are expected to help each other to reach salvation. God wants us to help and support each other. For mature spirituality we need to belong to a "faith community" or a parish in ordinary terms. We come to worship God on Sunday as part of a group, never alone. We share "communion" we share the sign of peace. It all goes back to the notion of "Our Father," he is the Father of us all and as such we are to behave as brothers and sisters.
There is another point. God is addressed as Our Father because we come to God as community. Prayer is never for ourselves alone. We ask that "our" sins be forgiven. The Church comes to God as community. Jesus came to save everyone, not individuals and we are expected to help each other to reach salvation. God wants us to help and support each other. For mature spirituality we need to belong to a "faith community" or a parish in ordinary terms. We come to worship God on Sunday as part of a group, never alone. We share "communion" we share the sign of peace. It all goes back to the notion of "Our Father," he is the Father of us all and as such we are to behave as brothers and sisters.
The Lord's Prayer by Fr. Tyler |
