Reflection
In today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches the disciples, and us, the Our Father. While Luke provides a shortened version compared to the Gospel of Matthew (see Mt. 6:9-130), there is still much to gain from further reflection.
The first petition asks that the Father’s name be “hallowed” or sanctified. While the name “Father” signifies our relationship to Him as believers and followers, this petition asks that the Father be considered holy and revered by all people throughout the world by the witness of His creative works of love and His action in in our lives.
In the second petition we are praying for Kingdom of God to reign in our lives here and now. Our seeking, discerning and submission to His Will (the petition not mentioned in Luke’s version) allows His Kingdom to be present and His grace to flow to us abundantly. We are also asking for the His Kingdom to return through the second coming of Jesus at the end of time. It is then that the Kingdom of God will reign for all eternity.
In the next petition we hear today, the focus shifts to petitions for our needs, beginning with our petition to be nourished both physically and spiritually. We express our dependence on the providence of the Father, who gives us the blessings necessary for our physical sustenance and the spiritual nourishment necessary to endure our earthly trials.
The next petition is our acknowledgment that there are times we fall short of doing the Will of the Father. So, we turn to Him in humility and ask for forgiveness. Our loving Father is always ready to forgive us and bless us and allows us to show our love for Him by allowing us to freely choose to approach Him with a contrite heart.
Our response to His Love is captured in the next petition as we ask for the courage to forgive others in the same way that we are forgiven. As Jesus taught us through His life and ministry, we are to forgive unconditionally with the purpose of blessing those who are also in need of forgiveness.
The final petition in Luke’s version is “and do not subject us to the final test.” In this petition we are asking for the Father’s help in the fight against the temptation to sin and the power of the Evil One, Satan. Jesus has won the war and defeated the power of Satan, sin and death over us. However, Satan still engages us in daily battles trying to get us to turn away from God. We acknowledge in this petition that we need the Father’s help to maintain our relationship of love with Him.
Today’s Question for Prayer and Reflection
Do you treat others as they deserve, or do you treat them as the Lord Jesus would with grace and mercy?