The
perfect prayer that Jesus teaches us says it all: God is not only a
neutral almighty creator figure, but he is also Father, and not only a Father, but our Father; his Kingdom and will are supreme and loving; and his Will
will be done by us. For in a sense, he is finished “doing things” – he now only
supports and sustains what is already here and now. Now it is up to us to carry
out his will, to populate and build his kingdom with children of his, who
consider themselves part of one big family.
St. Matthew’s version of the
presentation of the Lord’s Prayer ends with the emphasis on forgiveness: if we
don’t truly forgive our brothers and sisters from the heart, then we do not
live in the heart of God, and our prayers will simply not be heard – and our
whole salvation will be in jeopardy.
And the fact that God already knows what we need before we
even pray is very reassuring, and therefore we don’t have to babble on like the pagans: he knows
the simple desire of our hearts – even if we can’t put things into words – and
these he will definitely take to himself and answer.
May we enjoy our status as
children of God the Father today, brothers and sisters to one another, and
instruments of reconciliation and peace in imitation of our elder brother Jesus
for the salvation of the world, the building of the kingdom and our own future
place in it.
You
have received a spirit of adoption as sons through which we cry: “Abba!
Father!”
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