Our site uses cookies to improve the user experience and we recommend accepting its use to take full advantage of the navigation

Master·evangeli.net

Today's Gospel + short theological explanation

Thursday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
Download
Gospel text (Mt 6:7-15): Jesus said to his disciples...“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.’ ..."

The "Lord’s Prayer": the prayer of the sons of God

Fr. Josep Mª MASSANA i Mola OFM (Barcelona, Spain)

Today, the disciples, enthralled by the person of Jesus while He was praying, ask Him how they were supposed to pray: the "Lord’s Prayer" is the answer to the request. It is a prayer concentrated in seven petitions, full of theological sense, in contrast with the pagans’ wordiness and logorrhea, when they pray.

For Jesus, to pray is to speak with the Father, through the Spirit that makes him exclaim: “Abba, Father!” the sweetest word ever said by a son. The first three petitions are centered in God and His Kingdom: His Kingdom, His Hallowed name, His Will. The other four apply to man and his needs: to give us bread, forgiveness, strength against temptation and to deliver us from Evil. We, children of the Son, also center ourselves in God by revealing our needs to Him.

—Father! How wonderful to be able to call You like that, while having one unique heart (in harmony), one unique soul (unanimous), and one unique voice (in unison) with your beloved Son, our brother Jesus!