REFLECTIONS TODAY

The Jewish people have beautiful prayers and meaningful rituals. They have prayers for every occasion, and rituals to highlight important events in their community and to mark places related to these significant events. Continuing his challenge for purity of intention and sincerity of action in doing good works, Jesus now focuses on praying to God. While the Jewish tradition incorporates long prayers and complex rituals, Jesus teaches his followers a simple way to pray, giving them the Our Father as model. The first part of the prayer is about honoring God as Father, welcoming his reign, and following his will. The second part is about our plea for daily bread, the appeal for forgiveness of sins, the need to forgive others and be delivered from evil. How do we pray? Do we recite many prayers, leaving God no space to converse with us? Do our prayers transform us so as to influence others to have recourse to God? Gospel • Matthew 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 others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.” Source: “365 Days with the Lord 2023,” St. Paul’s, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; Fax 632-895-7328; E-mail: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]); Website: [http://www.stpauls.ph](http://www.stpauls.ph).