How to Pray
"This is how you are to pray: 'Our Father who art in heaven…”(Mt 6:9)
In our Gospel reading, Jesus teaches his disciples how to pray. He gives us a model for prayer, the Lord’s prayer, that we pray each day. He warns them not to pray like the pagans who use meaningless, repetitive phrases and believe that it is the quantity of words spoke that matter to God. God already knows what our needs are before we even ask.
In the Lord’s prayer, we begin by acknowledging God as our Father and that his name is holy.
+ “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
We pray for the coming of the Kingdom of God and that God’s will be done. This part of the prayer emphasizes God’s will and His kingdom over our personal needs.
+ “Give us this day our daily bread;”
We then ask God to provide us with our daily bread reminding us of our dependence on God for our daily provisions and reflecting trust in his care. Next, we shift to the need for forgiveness from both God and others.
+ “and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us;”
If forgiveness is not extended to others, then forgiveness from the heavenly Father will not be granted. This is not about earning forgiveness but rather reflecting the transformative effect of God's forgiveness.
And finally, we ask God for help in keeping us from temptation and delivering us from evil.
+ “and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
This highlights our desire for spiritual growth and God’s guidance in our lives.
Deacon Joe Trevino
St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church
Houston, TX