Thursday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time

The “Our Father” is probably the most popular formal prayer on earth. That’s due in part to the genius of its style. A series of short, dense phrases easily translates into any language as a series of short, dense phrases, and ideal for group recitation. On Pentecost Sunday, some years ago, I joined with forty people speaking twenty-five different languages all praying the Lord’s Prayer together. We began each phrase together and finished the prayer with one voice. It was beautiful.

Recited during every Mass and twice a day during the Liturgy of the Hours, and repeated incessantly during the Rosary, Jesus’ prayer continually teaches us to pray. We learn:

• That we stand together
• Before our one God whom we call Father
• Who lives in heaven, that destined place of peace, joy, and contentment.
• Jesus has taught us to pray for what God wants with the seven petitions that follow.
• We pray that God’s name be hallowed – known and blessed – in all the universe.
• We pray that God’s kingdom will come. It must come. Though the world has largely abandoned kingship in favor of representative governments, we long for the day when all people will want justice, mercy; and all people will act rightly.
• We pray that God’s will be done. Facing imminent death, Jesus prayed in anguish, “not mine but thine be done.” With the Our Father we learn to pray with him.
• And we look forward to that day when God’s will will be done on earth. The Book of Revelation describes Satan’s expulsion from heaven. He has power on the earth, but not for long.
• Jesus’ prayer reminds us that, like the birds in the air, we rely on God for our daily bread. Though we certainly reap and gather into barns, the recent financial collapse should have reminded us how quickly a life-time of accumulated wealth can vanish.
• Nor dare we forget our sins. “The good man falls seven times a day.” We have no excuse for our sins, but we need no excuse. We should only confess them and turn back to God time and time again. If old age finally deprives us of most of our sinful tendencies, at least we won’t be like the old fools who still think they’re young.
• But Jesus insists we must forgive others as we ask God’s forgiveness. No mercy will be shown to the merciless. God is infinitely merciful but he will not be conned.
• Finally, we remember how weak we are. Under certain circumstances the most courageous and devout among us will sell out. As Robert Walpole said, “Every man has his price.” We pray that we will not be led into such a test, but that God will deliver us from evil.
• For everything – the kingdom, the power, and the glory – is God’s.
• Amen!