THURSDAY OF THE ELEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - Mt 6:7-15 - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

"In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words." (Mt 6:7)

READING OF THE DAY

A reading from the Book of Sirach

Sir 48:1-14

Like a fire there appeared the prophet Elijah

whose words were as a flaming furnace.

Their staff of bread he shattered,

in his zeal he reduced them to straits;

By the Lord’s word he shut up the heavens

and three times brought down fire.

How awesome are you, Elijah, in your wondrous deeds!

Whose glory is equal to yours?

You brought a dead man back to life

from the nether world, by the will of the LORD.

You sent kings down to destruction,

and easily broke their power into pieces.

You brought down nobles, from their beds of sickness.

You heard threats at Sinai,

at Horeb avenging judgments.

You anointed kings who should inflict vengeance,

and a prophet as your successor.

You were taken aloft in a whirlwind of fire,

in a chariot with fiery horses.

You were destined, it is written, in time to come

to put an end to wrath before the day of the LORD,

To turn back the hearts of fathers toward their sons,

and to re-establish the tribes of Jacob.

Blessed is he who shall have seen you

And who falls asleep in your friendship.

For we live only in our life,

but after death our name will not be such.

O Elijah, enveloped in the whirlwind!

Then Elisha, filled with the twofold portion of his spirit,

wrought many marvels by his mere word.

During his lifetime he feared no one,

nor was any man able to intimidate his will.

Nothing was beyond his power;

beneath him flesh was brought back into life.

In life he performed wonders,

and after death, marvelous deeds.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to Matthew

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 others their transgressions,

your heavenly Father will forgive you.

But if you do not forgive others,

neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”

THURSDAY OF THE ELEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Mt 6:7-15

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear People of God,

In today's Word of God, Jesus teaches His disciples how to pray to please God the Father, which is the Lord's Prayer. This is the only and most beautiful prayer that God the Father has left for humans.

God the Father teaches that when people pray to Him, it is not just to ask for this or that for their own needs and benefits. But by saying the Lord's Prayer, people are praising and glorifying God. Every day in life, people recite the Our Father and Hail Mary continuously, they are not babbling; But for those who have a simple heart, love and obey God, they will understand how the prayer of the Lord's Prayer, recited continuously, will please God the Father!

The Lord also reminds those who come to pray to God the Father: do not only pray for personal needs and benefits, yet forget the task of praising and thanking God the Father with the simple, sincere heart of the innocence and purity of a filial child to his loving Father.

The Word of God today also teaches people to: Pray constantly to God the Father through the Our Father's prayer, because Jesus Christ himself is an example for people that He always gives glory, praise, and thanksgiving to God the Father with this prayer, and God the Father was very pleased.

Therefore, people should follow the example of Jesus Christ when praying to God the Father. That means prayer is not praying for personal needs and benefits. But the beginning of prayer is to give thanks to God the Father and profess that He is the Father, and the Creator of heaven and earth, all things, and all creatures. Because before people come to God to pray, God already understands everything, and He knows what is best for people.

Therefore, come to God with the simple heart of a child towards a loving Father. Humbly prostrate ourselves before God, express our gratitude to God our Father, express our repentance for our unworthy sins that have displeased God the Father, and determine to avoid sins to be embraced by Him with love, to have Him give us the best things because He knows what we need. Come to God the Father with the simple heart of a child, trust and believe absolutely in our Father, believe in His power and love over all things, over our life. Thanks to that simple faith, the prayers of the people will be answered by God the Father.

Thanks be to God. Amen.