WEDNESDAY, FIRST WEEK OF LENT - 2013

Scripture:

"Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, 'Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.'" Luke 11:1

Reflection:

In the verses that follow this passage, we have Luke's version of what we know as the Lord's Prayer. Luke records it as Jesus' answer to an unnamed disciple's request to better know how to pray. Some have looked at the Lord's Prayer as an outline for prayer, containing key points around which we are to build our prayer time. That's fine to do so, but the early Church believed it to be an actual prayer and not just an outline for prayer.

In the Didache (which means: "The Teaching"), a first century treatise or catechism which summarized some of the basic teachings of the Twelve Apostles, the fledgling Church is encouraged to pray the Lord's Prayer three times daily - not as an outline, but as a prayer in and of itself. This prayer contains: worship, petition, confession and intercession. When prayed from a sincere heart, we can be sure that the Father hears us, for Jesus said this is how we are to pray.

Prayer:

Our Father who art in heaven,

Hallowed be 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:

For thine is the kingdom, and the power,

and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen