Tuesday of the First Week of Lent - March 12, 2019

-

Isaiah 55:10-11  Matthew 6:7-15

Praying the Our Father on this Lenten day and every other day, I am reminded that in these gospel verses Jesus wants us to feel our words rather than recite them as rote.  In Matthew's narrative, Jesus gave us simple and direct words, stripped of any exalted phrasings.  He says, "This is how you are to pray: 'Our Father…'.     

Throughout my life, lines from the Our Father have had deep significance for me at different times.  When I was younger, the "give us this day our daily bread" request had prominence because it was about security (i.e. getting a job, earning a degree). At another time, perhaps when I became more honest about relationships, the "forgive my trespasses as I forgive those who …. give slights or injury to me" resonated with real-life interactions. These lines prompted me to better understand God's merciful forgiveness and how I, too, must show mercy. I still strive to learn the "balance of forgiveness," working to withhold judgment in thought and action.

Before, when I recalled Jesus' words to Pilate, "My Kingdom is not of this world," I thought that only after I die would I see the Kingdom. Now, I sense a deeper and more important urgency for our time and in our culture.  There is such expansiveness in God's providence and mercy that I now see the words "….your Kingdom come" in a way that I had missed before. The Father's Kingdom is here and now. 

Perhaps we should all consider revisiting and reimagining the words of Jesus with the goal of infusing a new spirit and meaning into a familiar prayer.   

Q:  Pray the “Our Father” slowly and with intention. Revisit and reimagine the words of Jesus. As you pray this familiar prayer, what new spirit or meaning comes to mind, especially at this time in your life?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Passion of the Lord (Good Friday) - April 7, 2023

-
Isaiah 52:13-53:12 Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9 John 18:1—19:42  Every morning when I go to Mass and the Priest asks for our intentions for the day, my response is for “wisdom, courage, comfort and trust.” Wisdom to fi gure out the answer, the courage to carry it out, and the comfort that it is the best solution and the trust to know God is guiding us in the best way. When I read the Psalms for today, I was taken back by David’s trust in the Lord to guide him and keep him safe. “In you, Lord, I take refuge”  A good friend coined this prayer when I was helping my parents navigate through my brother’s cancer. He passed away, but I continue to take comfort in those words and try daily to TRUST. Many people have commented on how they appreciate that petition so I continue to pray it.  There are big things and little things that come into our lives that require us to trust as David did. Some things are as small as smiling at the person at the traffic light or as big as standing up for another’s r
Read more

Monday of the First Week of Lent - March 11, 2019

-
Leviticus19:1-2, 11-18  Matthew 25:31-46 As I read my assignment for today, I felt relief. I knew these readings; I could relate to them. I had heard them multiple times and thought that I understood them well. The first reading from Leviticus tells me to love my neighbor as myself and to judge my neighbor justly. I know this! I believe this in my head! I often find it difficult to carry out, but I do believe it. Today’s gospel, Matthew 25, many of us know well through readings, songs, and social concerns committees, "Whatever you do for one of the least of …mine, you do to me." Feed the hungry; give drink to the thirsty; welcome the stranger; clothe the naked; comfort the sick; visit the prisoner. We try to do these things in our life. I decided to read our parish book, Stranger God by Richard Beck, to see how it could expand my understanding of Matthew 25 – and expand it did! After I read the book, I realized that I had been reading Matthew 25 literally.
Read more

Monday of Holy Week - April 3, 2023

-
Isaiah 42:1-7 John 12:1-11  One of my New Year’s resolutions is to be more mindful about how I spend my time. When we started having kids, everyone was always telling us, “enjoy it while it lasts because they grow up so fast!” I’d look at my tiny baby and think, yeah okay, we’ve got a long way to go. Fast forward 6 years, we have a kindergartener, and I am constantly asking myself, “where did the time go!?!?”  This Gospel is a reminder to me that I need to take advantage of every moment just as Mary decided to take advantage of that special moment with Jesus when she anointed his feet. It is so easy to get caught up in the busyness of everyday life and fi nd ourselves just going through the motions without putting much thought into the importance of our actions. When I am at church, am I really present? I often fi nd that my focus is on how my children are behaving and if they are disturbing the people around us. When I am at home, am I making the most of my time with my family? Sadly,
Read more