20 June, 2024 | Thursday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time

 Reading1: Sir 48:1-14

 

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 others their transgressions,

your heavenly Father will forgive you.

But if you do not forgive others,

neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”

Reflection: 

There is a basic manner of praying and that is taught to us by Jesus in the famous, universal prayer – Our Father – as explained in the Gospel today.  Our prayer must first begin with praising and thanking God for who God is – our loving father who is almighty and holy.  We pray for his will to be done and for his kingdom to come on earth just as it is glorious in heaven. After which we pray for our daily bread which can be spiritual, emotional, temporal, etc.  We ask to be forgiven just as we forgive and to be delivered from all evil. 

Jesus emphasizes again on the importance of forgiveness.  It is only when we forgive others that our sins are forgiven also by God.

Activity: 

Pray the Our Father after understanding it correctly.

Reflections: Parimala Selvaraj

Voice: Sharlene Fernandes