“The Lord’s Prayer” is probably one of the first prayers we memorized as children. It is indeed an integral part of our faith as Catholics. However, it can also become so familiar to us that whenever we recite it, we could just blabber rather than focus attentively on what we are praying. We could be missing the most obvious and greatest message of this prayer – that we have God as our Father!

Just as parents could anticipate the needs of their children, the Lord knows exactly what we need and delights in giving them. Even before we pray to Him, our Father in heaven already knows the sincerest desires we have in our hearts.

As a real father, our God provides us with the graces and blessings that He knows will help us mature in faith, hope and love to attain our goal in life, to be with Him in heaven. As a true father, He is thrilled with joy to listen to our prayers since praying brings us closer to Him. Remembering that God is our Father increases our trust in His boundless wisdom and love. The Gospel invites us to trust God and persevere in prayer since we have a loving Father in heaven.

By: Sem. Lester John D. Cabais

Today’s Gospel

Lk 11:1-13

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.”
He said to them, “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.”

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,
for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey
and I have nothing to offer him,’
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.’
I tell you,
if he does not get up to give the visitor the loaves
because of their friendship,
he will get up to give him whatever he needs
because of his persistence.

“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.
What father among you would hand his son a snake
when he asks for a fish?
Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg?
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?”