Gospel: Mt 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 men their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”
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To address God as “Our Father” is already an act of faith; it reflects both our relationship to God and to others. Jesus taught his disciples this prayer on different occasions. The New Testament preserves two versions – one by Matthew (6:9-13) and one by Luke (11:2-4). Because Jesus the Lord gave this prayer to his disciples, it is known as the “Lord’s Prayer.” Tertullian called it “the summary of the whole Gospel,” and St. Thomas Aquinas said it is “the most perfect of all prayers.”
The first half of the Our Father expresses our faith by praising God, asking that God’s Kingdom come and will be done. The second half is a faith-filled prayer of petition: “Give us this day…” One may even draw a parallelism between the two parts of the Lord’s Prayer and the two basic commandments to love God and neighbor. Faith demands that we submit to God who is a loving Father and also manifest our faith in ready service to neighbor.
Do I believe I must forgive others, so that I can sincerely ask God to forgive me?
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SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2018,” ST. PAULS Philippines, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 895-9701; Fax 895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.
