June 17, 2021 – Thursday of the 11th Week in Ordinary Time

Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/061721.cfm)

Prayer is an essential dimension of our Christian life & spirituality. Our gospel today invites us to reflect upon our prayer life as followers of Christ & God’s beloved children. And, in teaching us the Lord’s prayer, Jesus reminds us not only what to pray but also how to pray & why we pray.

First, to pray is to be present before God’s presence – being present before God’s presence. When we call our God as our Father, we personally present ourselves before our God and address Him as our beloved Father (Tatay, Amahan, Papa, Aboji). Because of this, second, prayer is all about God and less about ourselves. When we pray, we do tend to be more concerned about the gifts than the Giver. Valid may our present needs and wants be, but before God’s presence, we are more than just what we need, but we pray as His Children. So, pray to the Giver, and less for the gifts. Aspire for His kingdom to come & His will be done now & always in life. Only then & after being present & hoping for God’s will that, third, we ask from Him. And we ask not for what we want but what we need because what we want might not be really what we need & better for us. Again, His will – not ours, be done. Jesus, rather teaches us to ask for three things that we really need in life now: our daily bread, forgiveness, & faith in the midst of life-difficulties.

To pray then is to be present before God’s presence, to long for His Kingdom & Will to be with us, & to ask for what we really need now than just what we want from Him. In other words, praying is our pamaraig, lambing, tenderness with our Father: a loving conversation with the Giver rather than just asking for gifts & favors.

Tatay, May Your Kingdom & Will be upon us now & grant us what we really need now – food for the journey, forgiveness for our shortcomings & strength in faith as we follow Jesus, your son in our daily struggles with life.

So Help Us, Tatay. So May it be. Amen.