The Lord’s Prayer

Today's Reflections

The Lord’s Prayer

 grace and space

Mt 6:7-15

[Jesus said to his disciples,] ⁷“In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. ⁸Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

⁹“This is how you are to pray:

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

¹⁰your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as in heaven.

¹¹Give us today our daily bread;

¹²and forgive us our debts,

as we forgive our debtors;

¹³and do not subject us to the final test,

but deliver us from the evil one.

¹⁴If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. ¹⁵But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”

Reflection:
 

Our Father in heaven. In teaching the disciples how to pray, Jesus says that the first thing to do is to honor and praise God who is Father of us all. We belong to God. We must show reverence and respect to God’s name, not using it in vain. Our burning aspiration is to be with God and to reach God’s kingdom. We are to pray that God’s will be known, accepted, and followed.

The second thing is to accept our limitations and recognize our constant need for God. We humbly pray for our daily sustenance. We ask God to forgive our sins and to deliver us from evil.

Make it a point to prayeven when you are tired and busy.