The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/100715.cfm) reminds me how powerful and complete The Lord’s Prayer is.
The gospel shows us Jesus teaching us how to pray. It is a simple prayer, one of the first prayers we usually memorize. Unfortunately, because we have known this prayer since we were kids, we sometimes fail to see the beauty and depth of this prayer who Jesus himself taught us. Sharing with you a way I learned on how to see this prayer in a different way – with a foundation verse and some things to ponder upon as we pray each part of it.
Father, hollowed be your name
So the LORD passed before him and proclaimed: The LORD, the LORD, a God gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in love and fidelity, continuing his love for a thousand generations, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin; yet not declaring the guilty guiltless, but bringing punishment for their parents’ wickedness on children and children’s children to the third and fourth generation! (Exodus 34: 6-7 -http://www.usccb.org/bible/exodus/34)
--- We remember our God. We remember what our God is like. We remember what God has done for us. We remember his greatness and power. We remember his gentleness and mercy. We remember how blessed we are having such a great God. We are blessed that we can call him our God, our Father. We should be thankful and be full of awe as we pray, as we worship our God.
Your kingdom come
But seek first the kingdom (of God) and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides (Matthew 6:33 -http://www.usccb.org/bible/matthew/6)
--- Out of love for him, we pray that we would have the heart to seek and obey God’s will in our lives. We pray for faith, knowing that as we seek His will, he will bless us and give us the things that we need in this world, as we serve and glorify him with our lives. We also pray for others, that they also seek and obey God's will in their lives.
Give us each day our daily bread
so you might know that it is not by bread alone* that people live, but by all that comes forth from the mouth of the LORD. (Deuteronomy 8:3b –http://www.usccb.org/bible/deuteronomy/8)
--- We pray for God daily to sustain us, not just physically, but more importantly, spiritually. We remember that in this life, we need more than just physical food. Yes, man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God. We need his word, we need to get to know him more, so we would be able to truly live, truly serve and glorify Him.
And forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us
If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing. (1 John 1:9 -http://www.usccb.org/bible/1john/1)
--- The gospel says we should forgive so we would be forgiven. We also see this in the first reading, when God asked Jonah why he is acting like that. We are all sinners, and we have all sinned, so we should also learn to forgive. We also pray for humility that we would recognize our sins. We are far from perfect, and we ask God for forgiveness. We humbly come to him for forgiveness. We have faith that as we do, God forgives us and cleanses us. We also pray for those who have sinned against us, that as we forgive them and as God changes us, they also welcome God and allow Him to change their lives.
And do not subject us to the final test
No trial has come to you but what is human. God is faithful and will not let you be tried beyond your strength; but with the trial he will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to bear it. (1 Corinthians 10:13 -http://www.usccb.org/bible/1corinthians/10)
--- In faith, we call on Him to save and protect us. We have faith that he will not give us what we can’t bear. We have faith that God will be with us as we fight our battles, as we win over the enemy. We also pray for others who are undergoing challenges, that they may remain faithful to God, and realize that God will always be with us as we become victorious in Him.
May we see the Lord’s prayer in a new perspective and make it our own, personal prayer.
Am I taking enough time for prayer? Do I know how important prayer is? What is God telling me today about my prayer life?
Father God,
Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for reminding me how important and powerful prayer is. Thank you for the Lord’s prayer that is a simple, yet complete prayer. May I look past the normalcy of this prayer and see the beauty and completeness of this, and may I make this my own personal prayer to tell you how much I love you, how much I am sorry for my sins, how I long for you, how I praise you, and how I surrender my life to you. As I pray this, may I be more and more like you and like Jesus. Amen.
In Christ,
-g-
Ps
See related reflection:
Reading 1 Jon 4:1-11
Jonah was greatly displeased
and became angry that God did not carry out the evil
he threatened against Nineveh.
He prayed, “I beseech you, LORD,
is not this what I said while I was still in my own country?
This is why I fled at first to Tarshish.
I knew that you are a gracious and merciful God,
slow to anger, rich in clemency, loathe to punish.
And now, LORD, please take my life from me;
for it is better for me to die than to live.”
But the LORD asked, “Have you reason to be angry?”
Jonah then left the city for a place to the east of it,
where he built himself a hut and waited under it in the shade,
to see what would happen to the city.
And when the LORD God provided a gourd plant
that grew up over Jonah’s head,
giving shade that relieved him of any discomfort,
Jonah was very happy over the plant.
But the next morning at dawn
God sent a worm that attacked the plant,
so that it withered.
And when the sun arose, God sent a burning east wind;
and the sun beat upon Jonah’s head till he became faint.
Then Jonah asked for death, saying,
“I would be better off dead than alive.”
But God said to Jonah,
“Have you reason to be angry over the plant?”
“I have reason to be angry,” Jonah answered, “angry enough to die.”
Then the LORD said,
“You are concerned over the plant which cost you no labor
and which you did not raise;
it came up in one night and in one night it perished.
And should I not be concerned over Nineveh, the great city,
in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons
who cannot distinguish their right hand from their left,
not to mention the many cattle?”
and became angry that God did not carry out the evil
he threatened against Nineveh.
He prayed, “I beseech you, LORD,
is not this what I said while I was still in my own country?
This is why I fled at first to Tarshish.
I knew that you are a gracious and merciful God,
slow to anger, rich in clemency, loathe to punish.
And now, LORD, please take my life from me;
for it is better for me to die than to live.”
But the LORD asked, “Have you reason to be angry?”
Jonah then left the city for a place to the east of it,
where he built himself a hut and waited under it in the shade,
to see what would happen to the city.
And when the LORD God provided a gourd plant
that grew up over Jonah’s head,
giving shade that relieved him of any discomfort,
Jonah was very happy over the plant.
But the next morning at dawn
God sent a worm that attacked the plant,
so that it withered.
And when the sun arose, God sent a burning east wind;
and the sun beat upon Jonah’s head till he became faint.
Then Jonah asked for death, saying,
“I would be better off dead than alive.”
But God said to Jonah,
“Have you reason to be angry over the plant?”
“I have reason to be angry,” Jonah answered, “angry enough to die.”
Then the LORD said,
“You are concerned over the plant which cost you no labor
and which you did not raise;
it came up in one night and in one night it perished.
And should I not be concerned over Nineveh, the great city,
in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons
who cannot distinguish their right hand from their left,
not to mention the many cattle?”
Responsorial Psalm PS 86:3-4, 5-6, 9-10
R. (15) Lord, you are merciful and gracious.
Have mercy on me, O Lord,
for to you I call all the day.
Gladden the soul of your servant,
for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
R. Lord, you are merciful and gracious.
For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
abounding in kindness to all who call upon you.
Hearken, O LORD, to my prayer
and attend to the sound of my pleading.
R. Lord, you are merciful and gracious.
All the nations you have made shall come
and worship you, O Lord,
and glorify your name.
For you are great, and you do wondrous deeds;
you alone are God.
R. Lord, you are merciful and gracious.
Have mercy on me, O Lord,
for to you I call all the day.
Gladden the soul of your servant,
for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
R. Lord, you are merciful and gracious.
For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
abounding in kindness to all who call upon you.
Hearken, O LORD, to my prayer
and attend to the sound of my pleading.
R. Lord, you are merciful and gracious.
All the nations you have made shall come
and worship you, O Lord,
and glorify your name.
For you are great, and you do wondrous deeds;
you alone are God.
R. Lord, you are merciful and gracious.
Alleluia Rom 8:15bc
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
You have received a spirit of adoption as sons
through which we cry: Abba! Father!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
You have received a spirit of adoption as sons
through which we cry: Abba! Father!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Lk 11:1-4
Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished,
one of his disciples said to him,
“Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.”
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 in debt to us,
and do not subject us to the final test.”
one of his disciples said to him,
“Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.”
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 in debt to us,
and do not subject us to the final test.”
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