Today Jesus teaches us HOW TO PRAY: " 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 in debt to us, and do not subject us to the test." (Luke 11:1-13). This is a continuation of last week's Gospel when Jesus visited Mary and Martha. Jesus had left Bethany and had gone PRAYING, and when he had finished one of his disciples asked him: "LORD! TEACH US HOW TO PRAY". We are so familiar with the "OUR FATHER PRAYER" that at times we pray it without thinking about the meaning of the beautiful words that Jesus has given us.

Luke gives us words somewhat different from Matthew's Gospel (Matthew 6:9-13), which are the ones we are now using at every Mass before receiving the Holy Communion: "Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name..." Matthew includes the so-called "Lord's prayer " as an integral part of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount (Matthew chapters 5, 6, and 7), the most complete teaching by Jesus on how we should all live our daily lives. And YES, " how to pray to God the Father" is an essential part of our daily Christian life. The church has chosen Matthew's more complete version of the Lord's Prayer and it has been the center of our Christian life for centuries.

Luke's Gospel of today is an opportunity to take a fresh look at the Lord's Prayer. Luke includes some very encouraging and HOPEFUL words by Jesus’ right after the Lord's Prayer: "And I tell you, ask and you will receive, seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven GIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT TO THOSE WHO ASK HIM?"

I want us to reflect on what we are asking ABBA (Word Father used in Aramaic by Jesus), our personal Father in Heaven when we are praying the "Our Father". At times, we may be praying for the whole world: "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread". At other times, we may pray the same words just for ourselves or for our family.  

My suggestion today is that you meditate on the Lord's Prayer thinking only about yourselves, your personal relationship with ABBA, and your Dad in Heaven. HE LOVES YOU PERSONALLY. You are His son or daughter since your baptism. He loves you more than you can ever imagine. He knows everything that you need. If at times you feel that HE may not listen to your individual prayer, it may be that you are not praying for what HE wants you to pray for: you may be praying for WHAT YOU WANT (your own will), not for what YOU NEED FROM GOD (HIS WILL). Remember the Lord's words: ASK YOUR FATHER, ABBA, and HE WILL GIVE YOU THE HOLY SPIRIT, the Spirit of His Son Jesus Christ. COME HOLY SPIRIT! COME AND FILL OUR HEART WITH YOUR LOVE! COME HOLY SPIRIT AND GUIDE EACH OF OUR DECISIONS.

I will be taking a few days of rest with my family in France. As my brother and sister live near Lourdes, I will have the opportunity to go and pray at the place where MARY, the MOTHER OF GOD, appeared in a grotto to a little and humble shepherd BERNADETTE SOUBIROUS. Thousands of pilgrims visit the Grotto of Lourdes every day. All of them come to be healed spiritually, emotionally, or physically. It is a powerful place for prayer to God the Father, ABBA, through the intercession of HIS BLESSED MOTHER. You can be assured that I will be PRAYING IN LOURDES for all of you and your special intentions.

MAY OUR PERSONAL FATHER IN HEAVEN, ABBA, PROTECT ALL OF US!

One in Christ,

Fr. Alain