GOSPEL POWER l June 16, 2022 - Thursday of 11th Week in Ordinary Time

Gospel: Mt 6:7-15 

Jesus said to his disciples, 7“When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 Pray then in this way: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11Give us this day our daily bread. 12And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one. 14For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; 15but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” 

Prayer is, first and foremost, a relationship-of-trust. In a relationship, words are not always necessary, because hearts can communicate in the language of silence. Jesus assures us that the Father is on the lookout for our needs, even if we do not articulate them in words. We are asked only to open our heart and give the Father full access to it. That is what trust is all about. But so that we may not multiply words, thinking that we have to convince God, Jesus teaches us the essential words that arise from the relationship-of-trust. Obedience is the proof of trust — “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Since God is Father to many children, the Lord’s prayer also connects us with multitudes of brothers and sisters in a network of relationships held together by the Father’s love and strengthened by our willingness to mediate to one another God’s forgiveness.

Lord Jesus, you did not only give us a model-prayer but empowered us to connect with God and intimately call him “Abba, Father.” Amen.