Learning to Pray as Jesus Prayed (Matthew 6:7-15).

 

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, 
Peace and Love of Christ be with you!!!

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus teaches His disciples how to pray. He responds to their request: “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples” (Luke 11:1). I find this deeply meaningful. The disciples were humble enough to acknowledge that they sometimes struggled with prayer. They must have observed Jesus in prayer, something about His way of praying must have stirred a desire in them to deepen their own prayer life.

This realization leads me to reflect on our own need for humility in prayer. Like the disciples, we must recognize that we do not always know how to pray as we ought. Instead of relying solely on our own understanding, we should turn to the prayer that Jesus Himself left us, allowing it to shape and guide our relationship with God.

Jesus Prayed as He Lived

Jesus did not teach a prayer that was distant from His own experience. He lived what He taught. When He told His disciples to call God Father, it was because He Himself knew what it meant to be a Son, a Son who lived in perfect intimacy, trust, and communion with the Father.

From the quiet mornings in prayer (Mark 1:35) to the agony in Gethsemane (Luke 22:42), Jesus’ life was marked by constant dialogue with the Father. He prayed in joy and in suffering, in moments of strength and moments of weakness. His prayer was never mechanical or forced, it flowed from His heart, from His relationship with the Father, and from the experiences of His earthly life.

And now, in the Our Father, Jesus invites us into that same relationship, to pray as beloved children.

 “Our Father who art in heaven” – A Filial Relationship,

Jesus does not tell us to begin with “My Father,” but “Our Father” (Pater hēmōn). Why? Because our faith is not individualistic. We are children in a family, bound together by the love of the same Father.

Jesus teaches us to approach God not with fear, but with trust, as He did. Do we pray with this same childlike confidence? Or do we approach God as a distant figure, merely reciting words? Lent is the time to renew this relationship, to rediscover what it means to be sons and daughters of God.

“Hallowed be thy name” – A Prayer from the Heart

To “hallow” God’s name is more than just speaking it with reverence, it means to make His name known and loved in our daily lives. The Greek verb hagiasthētō is in the passive voice, meaning it is something we allow to happen in us. The Holiness of God is and should be made visible thanks to our witnessing. He has said to us “Be Holy for I the Lord your God, I am Holy”

Are our prayers just words, or do they transform us? Do we merely recite the Our Father, or do we pray it with hearts that truly desire to glorify God? Prayer is not about quantity of words, but the quality of our relationship with the One we address.

“Thy kingdom come” – Seeking What Jesus Sought

Jesus’ entire life was about bringing forth the Kingdom of God. His words, His miracles, His suffering, His death, all were for this purpose. When we pray "Thy kingdom come", we are not just waiting for a future reality, but committing ourselves to work for it here and now.

Lent challenges us: Do we truly desire God’s kingdom? Or are we more focused on building our own? Fasting, almsgiving, and prayer help us to re-center our hearts, making space for God’s reign to take hold in our lives.

“Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”: Learning from Gethsemane

Jesus did not just teach these words, He lived them. In Gethsemane, sweating drops of blood, He prayed: "Not my will, but Yours be done." This is the hardest prayer to say, but the most powerful.

Lent is a time to ask: Am I truly surrendered to God’s will? Or do I still cling to my own desires, fears, and ambitions? The Greek verb genēthētō means "let it come into being", a total opening of our hearts to God’s plan.

“Give us this day our daily bread”: Trusting in the Father’s Care

Jesus teaches us to pray for "daily bread", a phrase that holds deep meaning. It refers not only to physical sustenance, but also to the Bread of Life, Jesus Himself.

Lent is the time to ask: What do I hunger for? Am I truly longing for Christ, or am I filling my soul with things that do not satisfy? The Eucharist is our greatest Lenten gift, let us approach it with renewed love and gratitude.

“Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us” -The Heart of Lent

Forgiveness is at the center of the Gospel. Jesus does not separate being forgiven from forgiving others. The Greek word aphes means "release", to set free. If we ask God for mercy, we must also release those who have wronged us.

Lent is a time of reconciliation. Is there someone we need to forgive? Someone we need to ask forgiveness from? If our hearts are closed, how can we expect God’s mercy to enter? Let this season be one of healing.

"Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil" : Strength in the Battle

Jesus faced temptation in the desert before beginning His mission. He knows what it is to be weak, hungry, and tempted. Yet, He overcame by clinging to the Father.

This Lent, we, too, will face temptations; temptations to give up, to fall into old habits, to grow weary of prayer. But we are not alone. Jesus walks this journey with us. Let us cling to Him, trusting in His strength rather than our own.

Living the Our Father This Lent

Dear brothers and sisters, this Lent is an opportunity to move beyond prayer as routine and embrace prayer as relationship. Jesus teaches us not just words, but a way of life, one of intimacy, trust, and surrender to the Father.

Let us take this time to: Pray with our hearts, not just our lips. Trust in God as a loving Father, as Jesus did. Seek His kingdom above all else. Surrender to His will, even when it is difficult. Hunger for the Bread of Life. Forgive as we have been forgiven. Persevere in the struggle, knowing we are never alone.

If we live this prayer, we will emerge from Lent transformed. We will not only say Our Father, we will truly live as His sons and daughters.

May this Lent be a time of renewal, of deep prayer, and of intimate communion with the Father.

Amen.🙏🙏🙏