February 24 - Lord, Teach Us to Pray

Tuesday of the First Week of Lent

Today's Readings

• Isaiah 55.10-11
• Psalm 34
• Matthew 6.7-15

Today's Reflection

In today’s Gospel (Matthew 6:7-15), part of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells his disciples to avoid long prayers and instead pray the brief Our Father. It begins with prayer that God may be more and more glorified, on earth as in heaven. It concludes with prayer for ourselves, encompassing everything we really need: our physical requirements for today, forgiveness for our sins, and freedom from moral threats around us such as temptations.

It is so simple. And being not Trinitarian—Jesus and his disciples approach the Father together—it can be prayed by both Christians and Jews.

St. Benedict ordered that monks following his rule say it at least twice a day, because he felt the need for the invocation “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us” can come up pretty regularly when people live under one roof. Good advice!

Paul S.