First reading Isaiah 55:10-11
The word that goes out from my mouth does not return to me empty
Thus says the Lord: ‘As the rain and the snow come down from the heavens and do not return without watering the earth, making it yield and giving growth to provide seed for the sower and bread for the eating, so the word that goes from my mouth does not return to me empty, without carrying out my will and succeeding in what it was sent to do.’
Responsorial Psalm 33(34):4-7,16-19
The Lord rescues the just in all their distress.
Glorify the Lord with me.
Together let us praise his name.
I sought the Lord and he answered me;
from all my terrors he set me free.
The Lord rescues the just in all their distress.
Look towards him and be radiant;
let your faces not be abashed.
This poor man called, the Lord heard him
and rescued him from all his distress.
The Lord rescues the just in all their distress.
The Lord turns his face against the wicked
to destroy their remembrance from the earth.
The Lord turns his eyes to the just
and his ears to their appeal.
The Lord rescues the just in all their distress.
They call and the Lord hears
and rescues them in all their distress.
The Lord is close to the broken-hearted;
those whose spirit is crushed he will save.
The Lord rescues the just in all their distress.
Gospel Acclamation Mt4:4
Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus!
Man does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus!
Gospel Matthew 6:7-15
How to pray
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘In your prayers do not babble as the pagans do, for they think that by using many words they will make themselves heard. Do not be like them; your Father knows what you need before you ask him. So you should pray like this:
‘Our Father in heaven,
may your name be held holy,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven those who are in debt to us.
And do not put us to the test,
but save us from the evil one.
‘Yes, if you forgive others their failings, your heavenly Father will forgive you yours; but if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive your failings either.’
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Prayer: Loving encounter with God
In today’s gospel, Jesus tells us what prayer is all about. It is not a time to bombard God with many words to manipulate Him to listen to us. Instead, prayer is to be with God and trust that He is there for us, and thus, we surrender ourselves in His loving hands. Jesus invites us to first focus on God and what He wants from us. Therefore, we say, “may your will be done…”, i.e. to commit ourselves to make His will a reality in our lives. God’s overarching purpose for us is to live a life of loving Him and others. In prayer, we listen to Him as He shows us the concrete ways to love and the specific people we can reach out to.
From focusing on God, we then move to ourselves by asking Him to give us our daily bread of physical and spiritual nourishment, to forgive our sins and help us forgive others, as well as to provide us with the strength not to succumb to temptation. Today, let us enjoy being with God and allow Him to speak to our hearts.
Question for reflection:
Which phrase in the Our Father prayer do I have difficulty with?
Which phrase in the Our Father prayer do I have difficulty with?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year C” by Sr Sandra Seow FMVD.
