Soul Purpose
Matthew
6:7-15 (Gospel on 11-Mar-2014)
What is
prayer for you? Is it a flight from reality or does it continue to be a unique & sincere
communion with God? Saint Therese of
Lisieux says, "For me prayer is a surge of the heart, it is a
simple look towards Heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing
both trial and joy." In Romans 11:36 St. Paul urges the Thessalonians to
“Pray without ceasing,” and echoes his zeal for prayer; by his words in this first letter to the Thessalonians, Chapter 15, verses 17 & 18, “In all
circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ
Jesus.”
In
today’s Gospel, Christ Jesus presents Himself as the loving son of His Almighty
Father and at the same time manifests His unity within the Holy Trinity. 'In your prayers do not babble as the gentiles do” “…Your Father knows
what you need before you ask him.” says Jesus. St. Cyprian reaffirms this by his words, “When we pray to God with
entire assurance, it is Himself who has given us the spirit of prayer.” The beginning of The Lord's prayer; “Our
Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be
done on earth as in heaven”, reverently encapsulates the essence of the first
and foremost commandment
which Moses received from Yahweh, which is, “I am The Lord Thy God, Thou shall
have no other God before Me.” Then He continues with intercession; praying, “Gives
us this day our daily bread, forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who
trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.”
This intercession is an embodiment of the prayer of deliverance from the evil
one (Satan) and submission to humility with love; towards neighbor.
My
friends, it is essential to observe and understand that this prayer taught to
us by our Lord, in the presence of His disciples; at their request, is in
essence a pray in the plural form. Jesus does not say My Father in heaven,
instead claims & ratifies the identity of His Father as Our Father, the
Father of all Creation. He continues the assurance of The Father’s fraternity
with us and our kinship with Him through the affirmation in ‘give us; forgive
us our; lead us and deliver us.’ This serene prayer is a righteous conversation
with Our Father, and a reminder to us that we His children can always go up to
Him and converse with Him. It is an assurance that we have been created to
worship Him freely, allowed to freely ask from Him for our temporal &
spiritual needs, recommend without fear the goodness of our brethren to Him and
confidently seek for protection from Him. All of this came about at the request of
His friends. This exemplary desire of requesting God (Jesus) to teach how to pray, is a
beautiful display of how a child of God should constantly approach God alone;
to be taught how to, why should, when can and what to, in life. I pray that when we approach God through
the communion of prayer – a gift He Himself bestowed on us, let us have a holy
disposition of our body, mind and soul, in-order to confidently believe in
the promise of “Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and
it shall be opened unto you.” Amen.
God bless,
John Roger Anthony
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