28 February, 2023 | Tuesday of the First Week of Lent

 Gospel Mt 6:7-15

Jesus said to his disciples:

"In praying, do not babble like the pagans,

who think that they will be heard because of their many words.

Do not be like them.

Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

"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.

"If you forgive men their transgressions,

your heavenly Father will forgive you.

But if you do not forgive men,

neither will your Father forgive your transgressions."

Reflection:  

God knows what I need even if it is not always clear to me. My time of prayer allows the deep and fragile needs of my heart to surface. I pray for the patience and trust I need so that I may hear – in my prayer – what God wants to come to my notice. Jesus praises that, not that religion should not be public, but that it not be practiced for any reason other than for God and for the good of others. We pray because we need God. Maybe we might offer prayer for the praise and glory of God. Jesus’ own prayer hints at what feeds prayer - an attitude of praising God, desiring the kingdom of love, peace and justice to come on earth, trying to unite our desires with the desires of God for us and for the world, and to rest in our efforts to forgive others.

Activity: 

Today’s reading invites us to pray the prayer which Jesus himself taught to his disciples.  Do you   daily pray the ‘Our Father’ and invoke God to forgive those who sin against you?