Message of Abbot Paul - Thursday 17th June

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday, 17th June 2021

        I apologise for the brevity of today’s message, but yesterday was a day of back-to-back Zoom meetings, with barely time for a spot of lunch and no supper at all. Please don’t worry, I can rustle up a snack in my office as I always keep in a supply of fruit, cheese and biscuits for an emergency, not to mention my favourite hazelnut ice cream. I should point out that the meetings were well organised, the discussions productive and the decisions taken all for the best. 

           We continue our reading of the Sermon on the Mount with today’s Gospel, (Mt 6: 7-15). Jesus says to his disciples, as he had been talking about hypocrisy in prayer and the need for sincerity and humility, “In your prayers do not babble as the pagans do, for they think that by using many words they will make themselves heard. Do not be like them; your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” Here are two fundamental statements about prayer: the multiplication of words is not prayer, babbling, as Jesus calls it, and God already knows everything. He knows what we need to pray for, we don’t have to tell him.

           Then Jesus shows them how they should pray:

“Our Father in heaven,

may your name be held holy,

your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts,

as we have forgiven those who are in debt to us.

And do not put us to the test,

but save us from the evil one.”

This is a modern, literal version, and a little different from the one we know by heart. We notice how the prayer focuses on God and his kingdom and on obedience to his holy will. We ask for what is basic and essential, for forgiveness and salvation. There is nothing superfluous or exaggerated in this prayer and it is written in the plural, Our Father. As Pope Francis reminds us in his encyclical Fratelli tutti, we are all brothers and sisters: there is no room for selfishness or self-centredness in God’s plan for creation.

           Jesus concludes by making one comment on the prayer and it’s to do with forgiveness. “Yes, if you forgive others their failings, your heavenly Father will forgive you yours; but if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive your failings either.” At the very heart of Jesus’ message is forgiveness: we must forgive if we hope to be forgiven. Salvation lies in forgiveness. Lord, teach us to pray. Teach us to forgive. May your name be held holy in all that we do, think or say. Amen.