Pastor's Message

 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

                                      “Father, hallowed be your name, your Kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test.”       Luke11:2

            When you pray, do not babble like 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.” Mt. 6:7

            While Matthew introduces the Our Father with a short catechesis on prayer, Luke the Evangelist, from whom the Gospel Reading of today is taken, prefers the context of Jesus himself in prayer. The Disciples notice Jesus praying and asks him to teach them how to pray. He responded; When you pray, say; “Father, hallowed be your name, your Kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test.”

           I always wondered why Jesus as the Son of God needed to pray and what He said in his prayers! Questioning, as I do, means that I am still on the journey to understand what prayer is and the purpose of it. What is prayer?

          St Therese of Avila defines prayer as nothing else than being in terms of friendship with God.” St Theresa of Lisieux writes; “Prayer is a surge of a Heart, it is a simple look, turned toward Heaven. It’s a cry of recognition and love.” St John Damascene defines prayer as “the raising of one’s mind and heart to God.” St Augustine of Hippo would write; “Whether we realize it or not, prayer is the encounter of God’s thirst with us. God thirst, that we may thirst for him.”

          The Catechism of the Catholic Church (Paragraph 2558) states “Prayer is a Vital and Personal relationship with the Living and true God.” The Catechism calls “The Lord’s Prayer” the “Summary of the Whole Gospel;” And, explains it in 100 articles, (2765 – 2865). I would recommend reading through the explanation.

          The Lord’s Prayer begins with great consolation: we are allowed to call God – “Father.” Listen, to what was sung in the Gospel Acclamation; “You have received a Spirit of adoption through which we cry, Abba (Dad) Father.” Rm 8:15bc

          St. Teresa of the Child Jesus, for the richness she found in just the name “Father,” She would go no further! St Teresa would sink into contemplation as she got absorbed in the joy of being in a relationship with God, as a beloved daughter. She was privileged to experience an interior union with the Lord that enabled her, descend into depths beyond mere words. The name “Father,” necessarily invokes a relationship that invokes intimacy that is deep and consuming; a relationship that is self-giving, self-emptying, nourishing and life-giving. As good Father gets consumed progressively in a desire to uplift a son or daughter in Love, the son and daughter, get a fulfillment that brings absolute joy; heavenly joy.

          In Our relationship with God, when we invoke Him, with name, “Father,” “Our Father,” God floods us with that which is necessary; the gift of Himself. Prayer is essentially efficacious for this Truth.

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