Tuesday of the First Week
Reflection
“Glorify the Lord with me, Together let us extol His name.”
In today’s Gospel, Jesus reveals to us a way to communicate with God. He gives us the gift of the “Our Father” so that we can glorify God and be mindful of His power in our lives. It is one of the first prayers we learn as children, yet how often do we as adults repeat these sacred phrases without really appreciating their meaning? How often do we go through the motions of praying these beautiful words while our minds are engaged somewhere else?
“Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name,” says Jesus. In a few words, we give God praise and acknowledge His significance in our lives. “Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.” In these phrases, we remind ourselves it is our responsibility to live out God’s plan and follow His example everyday of our lives. We put our trust in God’s loving care as we pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.” We humbly ask His mercy on our human failings and remember our Christian duty is to treat others with the love and compassion God shows to us as we pray, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” We acknowledge it is only with God’s help that we can navigate the challenges of our lives as we entreat, “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” There is such tremendous power in these simple lines. Let us be grateful for the gift Jesus gave us today. Let us take time in this Lenten season to focus on the importance of this prayer and rededicate ourselves to its meaning.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus reveals to us a way to communicate with God. He gives us the gift of the “Our Father” so that we can glorify God and be mindful of His power in our lives. It is one of the first prayers we learn as children, yet how often do we as adults repeat these sacred phrases without really appreciating their meaning? How often do we go through the motions of praying these beautiful words while our minds are engaged somewhere else?
“Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name,” says Jesus. In a few words, we give God praise and acknowledge His significance in our lives. “Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.” In these phrases, we remind ourselves it is our responsibility to live out God’s plan and follow His example everyday of our lives. We put our trust in God’s loving care as we pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.” We humbly ask His mercy on our human failings and remember our Christian duty is to treat others with the love and compassion God shows to us as we pray, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” We acknowledge it is only with God’s help that we can navigate the challenges of our lives as we entreat, “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” There is such tremendous power in these simple lines. Let us be grateful for the gift Jesus gave us today. Let us take time in this Lenten season to focus on the importance of this prayer and rededicate ourselves to its meaning.
Prayer
O God, loving Father, help me to be ever mindful that praying these words to You brings me strength, comfort, peace and clarity. Help me to preserve time in my day, everyday, to talk with You.
Amy Rock-Wardwell, ‘96, Member of the Worshipping Community
Scripture
First Reading: Isaiah 55:10-11
Psalm 34:4-7, 16-19
First Reading: Isaiah 55:10-11
Psalm 34:4-7, 16-19
Gospel: Matthew 6:7-15
Daily Scripture readings can be found online at the USCCB website
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