“And in praying do
not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be
heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you
need before you ask him. Pray then like this: 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 debts, As we also
have forgiven our debtors; And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from
evil. For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will
forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father
forgive your trespasses.
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Do you pray with joy
and confidence? The Jews were noted for their devotion to prayer. Formal prayer
was prescribed for three set times a day. And the rabbis had a prayer for every
occasion. Jesus warns his disciples against formalism, making prayer something
mechanical and devoid of meaning, with little thought for God. When Jesus
taught his disciples to pray he gave them the disciple’s prayer, what we call
the Our Father or Lord’s Prayer. This prayer dares to call God “our
Father” and boldly asks for the things we need to live as his sons and
daughters.
It is through the
gift of the Holy Spirit that we can know God personally and call him “Abba,
Father.” We can approach God our Father with confidence and boldness
because Jesus Christ has opened the way to heaven for us through his death and
resurrection. When we ask God for help, he fortunately does not give us what we
deserve. Instead, he responds with grace and favor and mercy. It is his nature
to love generously and to forgive mercifully. When he gives he gives more than
we need so we will have something to share with others in their need as well.
God is kind and
forgiving towards us and he expects us to treat our neighbor the same. Do you
treat others as they deserve, or do you treat them as the Lord would treat you
with his grace and favor and mercy? Jesus’ prayer includes an injunction that
we must ask God to forgive us in proportion as we forgive those who have
wronged us. Ask the Lord to free your heart of any anger, bitterness,
resentment, selfishness, indifference, or coldness towards others. Let the Holy
Spirit fill you with the fire of his burning love and compassion and with the
river of his overflowing mercy and kindness.
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“Father in heaven,
you have given me a mind to know you, a will to serve you, and a heart to love
you. Give me today the grace and strength to embrace your holy will and fill my
heart with your love that all my intentions and actions may be pleasing to you.
Give me the grace to be charitable in thought, kind in deed, and loving in
speech towards all."
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