CẢM NGHIỆM SỐNG LC- REFLECTIONS 17TH -C
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- Category: 2. Cảm Nghiệm Sống Lời Chúa
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Mo NguyenJul 27 at 4:36 PM
PRAYING WITHIN THE FAMILY OF GOD
SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME / C - 28 JULY 2019
REFLECTIONS ON THE GOSPEL (Luke 11:1-13)
PRAYING WITHIN THE FAMILY OF GOD
While short and stark compared to the Our Father more familiar to us in St Matthew’s version, the Lukan form in today’s Gospel probably preserves more accurately Jesus’ actual words to his disciples.
Behind the opening word ‘Father’ lies Jesus’ characteristic address to God as ‘Abba’, the familiar Aramaic address to the male parent, most accurately rendered as ‘Dad’. The prayer begins, then, by drawing the disciples into the familiar relationship with God that he enjoys.
The sequence of the petitions that follows is itself an instruction on prayer. God’s ‘agenda’ comes first: that God’s name be help holy, that God’s kingdom come. Only after this Godward focus (which, of course, is ultimately for the benefit of the world) do the petitions address human need: for sustenance (‘daily bread’), for forgiveness, and finally for protection in the hour of trial.
In the petition for forgiveness, the sense is not that God waits to see whether we forgive before offering forgiveness. Rather, we can block the flow of God’s always available forgiveness if we do not let it flow through us by forgiving others.
The final petition does not imply that God would lead us into temptation and trial. Rather, we pray that in trials and troubles our faith may not give way.
As a whole, the prayer is the prayer of a community that knows itself to be the loved family of God, to whom, on its journey through life, it constantly turns in confidence and trust to receive those benefits that only God can give.
Brendan Byrne, SJ
Our Father (with lyrics) - Don Moen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDkTqC7h4zw
OUR FATHER