The Lord's Prayer

Go to a Catholic Trade store anywhere in the world, whether it is in Lourdes, in Fatima, in Simala or at the Vatican, you will get to see so many materials or books about prayer. My favorite one comes from the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi, which I’m sure most of you may have come across or even memorized. Then when you open the Old Testament, you can read the writings of King David called the Psalms, which are by themselves very solemn prayers to God and prayers for all occasions. Open the Internet and a host of prayers are there for you to read and reflect.

But in all these maze of prayers, there is only one prayer that our Lord Jesus Christ taught to his disciples called “The Lord’s Prayer.” This is what we have in today’s gospel reading for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time. You can read it in Luke 11: 1-13.

“1 Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.” 2 He said to them, “When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread 4 and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test.”

5 And he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6 for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him,’ 7 and he says in reply from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.’

8 I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence. 9 “And I tell you, ask and you will receive, seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

11 What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? 12 Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? 13 If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”

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There are so many prayers out there coming from all the holy people from all walks of life from all over. But there will always be one prayer that came from God himself and it is called “The Lord’s Prayer.” All of Christendom knows this prayer at heart. The Lord’s Prayer is the most complete prayer as it starts with adoring and glorifying God and accepting that his will be done.

Perhaps the most important part of the Lord’s Prayer is when we ask God “to forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us.” This is very important simply because in order for us to be forgiven, we must learn to forgive others. No doubt, this is one of the toughest prayers despite its being so simple. Remember what the Lord once told his disciples when he said, “Before you give your offering to the altar, leave your gift and go to your brother and reconcile with him.” We know too well that even amongst family members, hatred, animosity, envy and greed have caused families to break apart.

Yet you will see many members of broken families go to church separately and still praying The Lord’s Prayer. To those people, I suggest that they do not pray this prayer because God who seeks and knows everything knows what’s in their heart and if they have an unforgiving heart, then it’s pointless to pray the Lord’s Prayer because it is in effect trying to fool the Lord. That you are not serious in your prayer because of your unforgiving heart. When you pray, you must mean it!

Finally, after teaching his disciples with the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus told his disciples, “And I tell you, ask and you will receive, seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” Isn’t this something great to know that God listens to our prayers? However, it is just unfortunate that a great majority of us pray to God to ask him something. Whether it is good for us or not, only God knows.

The problem with most people is that they look at God as some kind of 911phone call to reach out in their time of need. While it is not wrong to ask God for some kind of assistance — for instance, graduates seeking to pass their examinations — please don’t expect God to change the answers on your examination papers and let you pass. There is an old saying which goes “God helps those who help themselves.” This is something to ponder upon. But above all, just give your trust in the Lord and you’ll be okay.