28 February 2012, Tuesday
Gospel: Mt 6:7-15
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘In your prayers do not babble as the pagans do, for they think that by using many words they will make themselves heard. Do not be like them; your Father knows what you need before you ask him. So you should pray like this:
‘Our Father in heaven,
may your name be held holy,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we have forgiven those who are in debt to us.
And do not put us to the test,
but save us from the evil one.
‘Yes, if you forgive others their failings, your heavenly Father will forgive you yours; but if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive your failings either.’
Reflection
There are several dispositions we can have in prayer. Some of us approach prayer like we would a wishing well, where we offer a coin – in this case, our efforts to go to church or our time put aside to pray – then we state our heart’s desires and we are off.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus assures us that our Father knows our needs and will provide for them. Our prayer should instead be focused on our relationship with God; in seeking His Will for us, being attuned to His ways and safeguarding our hearts from the snares of the devil.
How much of your prayer aligns with how Jesus has taught us to pray?
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