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| “The Lord’s Prayer” by James Tissot, 1886-96. |
Commentary:
Reading 1: Galatians 2:1-2, 7-14
Commentary on Gal 2:1-2, 7-14
In this passage from the Letter to the Galatians, St. Paul relates the events of his second trip to Jerusalem, also referred to in Acts 15:1-12. It is clear from these accounts that the reason for the trip was to resolve any differences between the rules applied to Jewish Christians and those applied to Gentile Christians, especially the rule concerning circumcision. Taking with him two Gentile Christians, Barnabas (who later founded the churches of Crete) and Titus (who became a missionary also) the evangelist describes how he met with the “pillars” (styloi) of the Mother Church of Jerusalem.
St. Paul goes on to relate how St. James (the head of the church in Jerusalem), St. Peter (leader of the Apostles), and St. John (son of Zebedee) all agreed, first that his message was consistent with the Gospel St. Paul had received from Christ and taught to the “uncircumcised,” and second accepted it without changes. They further agreed that the mission of the Twelve was to the Jews, and St. Paul’s mission was to the Gentiles, although this should be seen as a geographical division since St. Paul frequently began his evangelization in a region by speaking first to the Jews. (See also Romans 15:17-19.) The symbolism of “their right hands in partnership” establishes St. Paul on an equal footing with the Apostles.
The second part of the reading deals with St. Peter traveling to Antioch. Arriving alone, he adopted St. Paul’s manners of eating communally with the Gentiles. However, when a delegation from Jerusalem arrived (presumably from St. James), he seemed to revert to separating himself from them, and ritually observing the dietary laws of Judaism. St. Paul confronted him on this point (again emphasizing his equality with St. Peter), and seals a breach in the unity of Christians regardless of their ancestry – Jew or Gentile. All were one in Christ.
CCC: Gal 2:10 886
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 117:1bc, 2
R. (Mark 16:15) Go out to all the world, and tell the Good News.
Commentary on Ps 117:1bc, 2
“This shortest of hymns calls on the nations to acknowledge God's supremacy. The supremacy of Israel's God has been demonstrated to them by the people's secure existence, which is owed entirely to God's gracious fidelity.”[4] Using a refrain from St. Mark’s Gospel (Mark 16:15), the psalm is one of praise for the Good News of God’s salvation.
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Gospel: Luke 11:1-4
Commentary on Lk 11:1-4
The Gospel from St. Luke gives us a shorter version of how the Lord taught the “Lord’s Prayer” to his disciples. In St. Matthew’s Gospel (Matthew 6:9-15) this discourse takes place as part of the Sermon on the Mount. In St. Luke’s Gospel it is given while the Lord is himself at prayer.
Notes on the meaning of the various parts of the prayer are numerous. (See also CCC 2759 - 2865.) The short message in the Gospel is: “This is an appropriate way to speak to God.” The seven petitions of the prayer begin with an acknowledgement of God’s existence and omnipotence, praising his holiness. It continues with our further desire that the “will of God,” which creates his Heavenly Kingdom, may also rule on earth (your name; your kingdom; your will).
The next three petitions ask for grace and protection. The first of these is a petition to the Father that we be given nourishment, food for the body and (Eucharistic) food for the spirit, "our daily bread.” This petition is followed by a plea for forgiveness, a tacit admission that we have all sinned and all need God’s salvation. The second part of this petition is a promise that we will attempt to follow Christ’s example, forgiving others as we have been forgiven. The prayer concludes with a final petition that we not be tested as our Lord was tested by the evil one; encouraged to forego his own passion thus condemning the world to sin and death.
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Reflection:
We ask a question today – what is prayer? It sounds simple, and the short answer is simple: prayer is conversing with God (actually there are three major types of prayer: vocal, meditative, and contemplative- CCC 2700-2719). But we must go deeper. Saying that prayer is simply speaking with God is like saying that speaking to another person is communicating. That latter saying is not necessarily true. Ask any married couple if they are communicating when they speak to one another. They will tell you: not necessarily.
The disciples ask Jesus to teach them to pray, and the Lord gives them this very simple template that we call the “Our Father.” It begins with our fervent pledge of faith, recognition on our part that God truly exists and is Lord over all that is and will be. It also, by default, stipulates our belief in his eternal guidance, and in life after death. That very first statement: “Our Father, who art in Heaven,” states a core understanding of our faith. When we say the “Our Father,” do we hear that pledge in our hearts?
The Lord next tells us to support God’s will, establishing God’s Kingdom on earth. Do we hear ourselves pledge to be God’s instruments, carrying out God’s mission on earth? Certainly, as he was speaking to his disciples, they understood what was being pledged.
The prayer he gave us concludes by asking God for all we need to lead a life full of his peace. First “our daily bread;” we ask that God assist us in harvesting, from all he has created, what we need to sustain ourselves physically. We also pray for that which sustains us spiritually, the source and well-spring of Christ’s peace, the Bread of Life that brings us into physical contact with his sacred self.
Knowing we are not perfect, and recognizing that all who seek God’s face will be forced to see their own failings, Jesus next bids us to ask forgiveness from the only one who can forgive sins. He does so while reminding us that, as he has done, so we must do. Recalling the parable of the unworthy servant who, even though his master forgave him, did not forgive his fellow servants, we are called to forgive those who have harmed us.
Finally, we are reminded that the price of our forgiveness was very high, costing the Son of God his human life. We earnestly beg the Lord that we not be forced to be put to the test of our convictions with our own lives at stake. When we conclude “deliver us from evil,” do we send up our fervent prayer to our deliverer?
What a simple little prayer, the “Our Father,” yet, one which we will work a lifetime to pray as he taught it. Perhaps that is why we repeat it so often.
Pax
[1] The picture used today is “The Lord’s Prayer” by James Tissot, 1886-96.
[4] See NAB Footnote on Psalm 117.
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