Thursday 18 June – Thursday of week 11 of the year

Reflection- Matthew 6:7-15

THE LORD’S PRAYER: AN IDEAL PRAYER

“Prayer is the raising up of our minds and hearts to God or the requesting of good things from God” St. Therese Lisieux. Prayer is the living relationship of the children of God with their Father who is good beyond measure with his son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Thus, prayer is a communication between man and God. As a loving Father, He delights in our communion with Him when we approach Him in faith and love. God speaks and man listens and man speaks, God listens. Often a time, we only speak without listening to God. In the scripture, it is the heart that prays, if our heart is far from God, the words of our prayers are in vain.

In The Lord’s Prayer, we are reminded of the need to forgive offenses (Matthew 6:14-15). Unforgiveness hinders our requests from being granted by God. As Christians, come what may, we are meant to be bridge builders; initiators of peace and reconciliation. Also of special note in The Lord’s Prayers is the need for us to be opened to the will of God. Prayer must not be reduced to a forum where we merely throw our concluded plans and desires to God for His sanction Yes, we must petition the Lord in faith for our needs and desires; however, amidst this we must acknowledge His sovereign wisdom to decide how best to answer our prayers ( Matthew 26: 36-42) . This is a cardinal component of faith which trusts in the supreme goodness of God to do that which is supremely good for us.

Beloved in Christ, let us not get weary of praying, let us keep hope alive in God. He surely responds to His children who trust in His love.

PRAYER– Dear Father, I thank you for the gift of prayer as a means of dialoging with you. Please when it is difficult to pray, listen to the words of my heart. Amen.

KNOW YOUR FAITH:  Why is Abraham a model of prayer?

Abraham listened to God. He was willing to set out for wherever God commanded and to do what God willed. By his listening and his readiness to make a new start, he is a model for our prayer.

Hide a Treasure: “Ask, and you will receive; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks will receive, and anyone who seeks will find, and the door will be opened to those who knock.” Matthew 7:7-8 GNB

Today’s reading: 2 Corinthians 11:1-11; Psalms 111:1-4.7-8; Matthew 6:7-15.