OUR PRAYERS ARE “US”

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forthfrom the mouth of God.

Matthew 6:7-15

7 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. 8 Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9This is how you are to pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread; 12 and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; 13 and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. 14 If you forgive men their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”

think: Our relationship with God is the most important aspect of our lives.

SABBATH

The “Our Father” is the first formula prayer that many of us were able to memorize and take to heart. Reflecting deeper on the words of this prayer as Matthew renders it, we take  note of several things.

First, the prayer contains seven petitions: the first three petitions deal with God’s Kingdom and will; the last four petitions deal with our human needs. Now, “7” is a favorite number in Matthew. He speaks of Jesus’ genealogy as consisting of ancestors who are 3 x 7 in number. He renders seven parables of Jesus in Matthew 13. He underscores Jesus’ teaching that forgiveness be not seven times, but 77 times (cf Matthew 18:22).

Second, we note that the prayer brings together certain expressions that are very common in the vocabulary of the evangelist. Among these are: “Father in heaven,” “Your will, “ and “on earth as in heaven.” Prayer then is not just the lifting up of our needs before the Lord. We pray as we live, and we talk with God in the language and expressions that are common to our lives. We pray just as we are before Him.

In prayer, then, we do not just come before God, our Father and Creator. We get in touch with our selves, our deep thoughts and sentiments. We pray our memories and our relations with God. We pray our anxieties and hurts to God. We pray our loves and joys, our inspirations and plans. Prayer, therefore, is a synthesis of ourselves. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP