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Gospel Reading for February 24, 2026 – Matthew 6: 7-15
ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS
Jesus said to his disciples: “In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
“This is how you are to pray:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
“If you forgive men their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”
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Jesus teaches us the ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS of prayer: praise and worship; openness to God’s will; dependence on God for our needs; the need for forgiveness; and the resolve to resist temptation. He does not stop at asking for forgiveness, because in order for us to be forgiven, we must first learn to forgive others.
Above all, by teaching us to pray to God and calling Him Father, Jesus shows us that we are His brothers and sisters. He affirms this in Matthew 12:48: “For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
Lord Jesus, may our prayer draw us ever closer to the Father in every way possible.
