The our Father is a pattern, not a litany

Good morning, happy Thursday, and many blessings.

In our Gospel today – Matthew 6:7-15- Jesus teaches us that it is not the amount of words, nor the time we spend, but faith that is important as we pray to God. There are two versions of the Our Father: Luke (Lk 11:1-4) and Matthew (Mt 6:7-13). In Luke, the Our Father is shorter. Regardless of which version is used, at least we must be clear that the words "Our Father (or perhaps our Mother)" indicate the relationship that must exist between the person who prays and the one who hears the prayer.

To this day, we recite the Lord’s Prayer, much as the disciples did in Jesus’ day, and as other Christians have done through the ages. Developing a prayer life is vital to living a victorious life and receiving the things we have need of. However, many of us struggle with prayer. Apparently, the disciples did as well, because they said, "Lord, tech us to pray." Jesus responded to them by giving us a model prayer we call "The Lord's Prayer!"

The question is do you merely recite the Lord’s Prayer, or do you offer it as a prayer of the heart? The words are so familiar you don’t have to think about what you’re saying. If you’re not careful, your tongue can go on autopilot while your mind takes off in a different direction.

This is not what Jesus had in mind. Jesus intended his disciples to take this prayer as a model, not a substitute, for their own prayers. And, when you look at it closely, it contains all the necessary ingredients: Adoration, confession, petition, and submission to God’s will. You could also include thanksgiving and intercession. Put the elements of the Lord’s Prayer together in your own words and your prayers are sure to be complete.

So, is there a right way to pray? I think not. What matters most is your sincerity. As I said, God knows what you’re thinking before you say it. The words are for your benefit, not God’s. If you’re good at words and can express yourself freely, go for it. Say whatever comes to mind. If you’re like me and need to think about what you want to say first, fine. God won’t be offended. Prayers of the heart can be spontaneous or carefully formulated. What’s important is sincerity.

Prayer is based on a relationship to God, so the essence of prayer is simply talking with God. Think of it as being friends: How would you like it if you had a friend who never spoke to you? It wouldn’t make any sense. Neither does it make sense to honor God as the sovereign

Lord of your life without telling God what’s on your mind and listening to what God has to say to you in return, through the voice of the Spirit. Above all, let us pray with sincerity, honor and humility before Almighty God. "The effective prayer of the just person can do a lot." (James 5:1

Today I invite you to meditate critically on this question: Jesus give us this prayer to read, or this is an outline, or pattern, by which we can learn to pray?

Blessings

Fr. Luis+