It has often been said that prayer should be as easy as having a conversation with a loved one. However, our personal experience tells us that this is often not the case. Perhaps it would help us to remember that even the people who lived and walked with Jesus needed help with their prayer life as we read in the Gospel for this day’s liturgy: He 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.” (Luke 11:1)
The Gospels of Matthew and Luke include Jesus’ response to this request. Matthew’s form is somewhat longer than that of Luke who seems to boil it down the bare essentials: 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 who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation. (Luke 11:2-4)
Down through the ages, the actual text of this prayer has been altered to accommodate changes in our language. However, the basic formula given to us in the Gospels still finds a place on the lips of every Christian regardless of to what sect we belong. It is estimated by those who like to deal with statistics that no fewer than two billion people will recite some form of the Lord’s prayer on any given Easter Sunday or on Christmas. The thought of that many people praying the same words brings home the power of the life of the carpenter from Nazareth. There is certainly much that divides us. However, we cannot deny that we are united in our prayer!
Fr. Lawrence Jagdfeld, O.F.M., Administrator