Thoughts for the Day

‘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. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

‘Pray then in this way:

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your 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 do not bring us to the time of trial,
but rescue us from the evil one.

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

In Lent we are to be concerned about our spiritual life and therefore our prayer life. Today's reading is Matthew's account of 'The Lord's Prayer', and it's worth reminding ourselves what Jesus was saying about praying to God.

The Lord's Prayer appears only in Matthew and Luke's Gospel (Luke 11.2-4) and Matthew's is an extended version of Luke's. Jesus starts with a warning that God is not impressed by the length or the eloquence of our prayers, but sees what is in our heart - he responds to simple faith and sincere need. We should call God, 'Father' (this was unthinkable for a Jew), and he reminds us that God already knows our need, but wants us to turn to him as to a Father, showing we understand what we are really asking. Then comes the petitions we know so well:

• that God's Kingdom should finally encompass all the world;
• that we should have what we need for our daily life;
• that sins will be forgiven;
• that we will not tested more than we can cope.

The requests end with a reminder that those who don't forgive others will not be forgiven themselves. This is a framework for our prayers that we can use each day in Lent.

* Father of all,
You call us to Yourself,
to acknowledge our need for You
and confess our continual sin.
May we use the prayer that
Jesus gave to his disciples
as a pattern for all our prayers.
May we long for Your Kingdom
to come in all its fulness,
and Your rule to hold sway.
Give us sufficient good things for life
help us to learn to forgive others
and do not bring us to a time of testing.
Amen.

* You may wish to use the Lord's Prayer instead.