First reading Galatians 2:1-2,7-14
They recognised the grace that God had given me
It was not till fourteen years had passed that I went up to Jerusalem again. I went with Barnabas and took Titus with me. I went there as the result of a revelation, and privately I laid before the leading men the Good News as I proclaim it among the pagans; I did so for fear the course I was adopting or had already adopted would not be allowed. On the contrary, they recognised that I had been commissioned to preach the Good News to the uncircumcised just as Peter had been commissioned to preach it to the circumcised. The same person whose action had made Peter the apostle of the circumcised had given me a similar mission to the pagans. So, James, Cephas and John, these leaders, these pillars, shook hands with Barnabas and me as a sign of partnership: we were to go to the pagans and they to the circumcised. The only thing they insisted on was that we should remember to help the poor, as indeed I was anxious to do.
When Cephas came to Antioch, however, I opposed him to his face, since he was manifestly in the wrong. His custom had been to eat with the pagans, but after certain friends of James arrived he stopped doing this and kept away from them altogether for fear of the group that insisted on circumcision. The other Jews joined him in this pretence, and even Barnabas felt himself obliged to copy their behaviour.
When I saw they were not respecting the true meaning of the Good News, I said to Cephas in front of everyone, ‘In spite of being a Jew, you live like the pagans and not like the Jews, so you have no right to make the pagans copy Jewish ways.’
Responsorial Psalm 116(117)
Go out to the whole world and proclaim the Good News.
O praise the Lord, all you nations,
acclaim him all you peoples!
Go out to the whole world and proclaim the Good News.
Strong is his love for us;
he is faithful for ever.
Go out to the whole world and proclaim the Good News.
Gospel Luke 11:1-4
How to pray
Once Jesus was in a certain place praying, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.’
He said to them, ‘Say this when you pray:
‘“Father, may your name be held holy,
your kingdom come;
give us each day our daily bread,
and forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive each one who is in debt to us.
And do not put us to the test.”’
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Teaching by example
The disciples observed that Jesus used to go to a quiet place to pray. They saw that His prayer life influenced His convictions and interactions with people, and they wanted to learn to pray in a similar manner. Thus, Jesus taught them how to pray by addressing God as ‘Father’. Jesus experienced God as a loving and merciful Father and called Him in a familiar way, ‘Abba’. He revealed the face of the Father through acts of kindness, healing and forgiveness as well as His welcoming approach and interactions with sinners and outcasts, etc.
Today, Jesus teaches us that God the Father does not need formalities when we pray to Him. We are His children, and He is a loving Father who accepts us unconditionally. Let us learn from Jesus how to pray and approach God confidently, who eagerly listens. As we establish a relationship with Him, we can also inspire others by reflecting Jesus’ values.
Reflective question:
Does my prayer reflect Jesus’ life?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year B” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD.
