THE WORD
Sir 48,1-14 / Mt 6,7-15
Jesus gave this instruction: “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 your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
“Give us today our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and do not subject us to the final test, but deliver us from the evil one.
“If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”
IN OTHER WORDS
Prayer is the attention of the heart to God. No word is spoken. Only an act of love. In the light of the Lord’s Prayer, let’s look at two signicant events that imprinted themselves in our national consciousness last year.
1. On 15 January 2015, Pope Francis landed at Villamor Air Base, smiling, waving to the people, blessing them and was welcomed by thousands who were thrilled, awed, and overcome with
joy. That glorious moment, filled with the Divine Presence, was repeatedly experienced wherever Pope Francis made an appearance in Manila or Tacloban. In the hearts of the faithful they might have prayed this: Thank you, Father, for giving me this moment when I feel your presence in my heart! Yes… ”Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven.”
2. While Pope Francis’ arrival at the same airbase was life-giving, the arrival of the Fallen 44 was death-dealing – one of gloom, of mourning by widows, orphans, and bereaved parents. God was seemingly absent. Instead the Evil One in all its ugliness was present. The 44 valiant commandos had stood their ground, with no re-enforcements in sight, though outnumbered by two groups of rebels. At the Mamasapano corn field, they were simply brutally killed by the barbaric enemy.
Indeed, war is the work of the Evil One, the same Evil One from whom we ask in our prayer to be delivered. “Father… deliver us from the Evil One.”
May the Merciful Father forgive all who transgressed His will at Mamasapano! May all who lost their loved ones in that infamous clash forgive, in God’s own good time, the enemy who caused them their loss! Father, your kingdom come, your will be done!
- Fr. Dong Alpuerto, SVD | USC-Talamban, Cebu City
The Word in other words 2016
An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.
