Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 16 The Celebration of the Divine Office During the Day
Mass: 2 Cor 11:1-11; Resp Ps 111; Mt 6:7-15
Great are the works of the Lord, exquisite in all their delights.
Jesus says this about prayer: In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think they will be heard by their many words. St Benedict has this to say: "Whenever we want to ask some favor of a powerful person, we do it humbly and respectfully, for fear of presumption. How much more important, then, to lay our petitions before the Lord God of all things with the utmost humility and sincere devotion. We must know that God regards our purity of heart and tears of compunction, not our many words. Prayer should therefore be short and pure, unless perhaps it is prolonged under the inspiration of divine grace" (RB 20:1-4).
Our Lord instructs us. This is how you are to pray:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name,
thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
AMEN.
The Our Father contains all possible petitions; we cannot conceive of any prayer which is not already contained in it. It is to prayer what Christ is to humanity. It is impossible to say it once through, giving the fullest possible attention to each word, without a change … taking place in the soul.
(Simone Weil, Waiting on God)
Today's photo: Centuary (Centaurium umbellatum Hort)
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