The Gospel according to Matthew (6:7-15)
Jesus said to his disciples:
“In praying, do not babble like the pagans,
who think that they will be heard because of their many words.
Do not be like them.
Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
“This is how you are to pray:
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.
“If you forgive men their transgressions,
your heavenly Father will forgive you.
But if you do not forgive men,
neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”
Reflection:
I’ve written about this particular Gospel several times on the DEACON5 by now. It always comes this first Tuesday of Lent, and it reminds us of that one key pillar of Lent: prayer. It is a description of proper attitude toward prayer (one that I discussed in my reflection on this Scripture two years ago on the DEACON5 here: https://deacon5.com/2023/02/28/february-28th-2023/).
Today, it occurred to me, thanks to my lovely wife, to focus on this one phrase: “Thy will be done.” I think that is most likely the most difficult phrase in the entire prayer we make to God. Saying “Thy” will be done, means “my” will is put aside. Saying “Thy” will be done means that I yield to what God calls me to do, no matter where it may lead. That one line is really the heart of our Lenten journey, if we allow it to change us.
I know what you are thinking – don’t all of us who call ourselves “followers of Jesus” live out that prayer, and that line in particular? We do, when we allow ourselves to lose ourselves in the call we have to be instruments of the Kingdom, and ones who bring light into darkness. We do live out “Thy will be done” when we give to those in need without bringing any attention to ourselves, when we do it solely because it is the example that Jesus Himself left us to follow.
I think that’s why some are called to sacrifice something and “give something up” during Lent. When we do that, we are saying to God, “I trust you enough to know that I don’t need <whatever that is that we gave up>.” The same thing applies when we add something during Lent. We say to God that we trust Him to help us make <whatever that added thing is> a part of our lives for Lent and beyond, all so that “Thy will be done.” When we succeed, all we can do is give God the glory for His help to us. When we fail (and alas, we will fail), we cry out in our need to God, that He keep teaching us His will, knowing He will never give up on us. May we take that to heart as we walk through this Lent, and may our prayer every day be the same: “Thy will be done.”
Action for the Day:
Say the Our Father today, slowly, thoughtfully, lovingly, to our God. When you come to the phrase “Thy will be done”, say each word slowly, pausing in between, and may your heart truly be open to what that will is for you today.
Link to the DEACON5 website: https://deacon5.com/
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