Reading I
Is 55:10-11
Thus says the LORD:
Just as from the heavens
the rain and snow come down
And do not return there
till they have watered the earth,
making it fertile and fruitful,
Giving seed to the one who sows
and bread to the one who eats,
So shall my word be
that goes forth from my mouth;
It shall not return to me void,
but shall do my will,
achieving the end for which I sent it.
Gospel
Mt 6:7-15
Jesus said to his disciples:
“In praying, do not babble like the 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.
“This is how you are to pray:
Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
“If you forgive men their transgressions,
your heavenly Father will forgive you.
But if you do not forgive men,
neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”
Meditation: Matthew 6:7-15
Meditation: Matthew 6:7-15
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At the time this magazine went to press, more than 474,000 books on prayer were available at the Web site Amazon.com. More than 23,000 of these are of the how-to variety. That’s a lot of reading if you want to become an expert on prayer!
How heartening, then, that Jesus covered the main points in nine short verses! He made it simple: Pray to know your heavenly Father, his will, his provision, his forgiveness, his deliverance, and his protection. And at the top of the list are three simple words: “Thy kingdom come.”
Jesus taught us to ask the Father that his eternal, unshakable, heavenly kingdom be extended to our temporal, unstable, earthly lives. That’s right. The kingdom of God is meant for us, not just for Jesus and the angels! He wants us to experience the blessings of his kingdom as we go through our everyday lives here and now. In telling us to pray for the kingdom, Jesus is saying, “Just ask my Father. Set the kingdom on your hearts and minds.”
Sometimes we get a glimpse of God’s kingdom: when we see someone healed or comforted through prayer; when we are released from the grip of addictions, bitterness, or shame; when we walk out of Confession knowing we are completely forgiven. The kingdom becomes visible through the lives of those who care for the least among us. We see it when justice is established in our communities, our churches, and our nations. When people live in unity, simplicity, and peace, we have sighted the kingdom of God.
As big as it is, however, the kingdom of God is founded on a one-to-one, personal relationship—the relationship of a child to a father. It is a relationship of reverence, honor, trust, and familiarity. The kingdom of the world cries: “You are your own person! Be independent! Trust no one!” But citizens of the kingdom of God declare: “Father, you are holy! May your will be done here and now!” This is what we are praying for when we say, “Thy kingdom come”—that we will see healing, deliverance, and justice daily; that we will experience righteousness, peace, and joy; and that we will live in powerful demonstrations of the Holy Spirit as the kingdom is exalted!
“Father, let your kingdom come! May we all experience your abundant generosity today.”
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