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40 Shades of Lent by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Tuesday in the First Week of Lent, 20 February 2024 Isaiah 55:10-11 <*((((>< + + + ><))))*> Matthew 6:7-15
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 in heaven, hallowed be thy name," (Matthew 6:7-9). What a great segue, so seamless! Jesus said you know what we need before we ask you yet he tells us too how we must pray by calling you "Our Father"!
If you know what we need, Father, then, why should we pray at all?
In this blessed season of Lent, teach us Lord to go back to you in prayer because in prayer, you let us know what we really need to be fulfilled, to be at peace, to be fruitful and that is you, dear Jesus; in prayer, you make us realize that more than things, what we really need is a relationship with you who loves, who feels, who is like us in everything except sin; in prayer, we are disarmed of our many defenses and pretensions, making us humble to be more loving while in need of a lot of loving too only you can give.
Yes, God, you know everything we need before we pray to you but we need to pray because we simply need you whose words are "like the rain and snow that come down and do not return there till they have watered the earth, making it fertile and fruitful, giving us seeds and bread to eat, achieving the end for which you sent your word" (cf. Isaiah 55:10-11). Amen.
