Tuesday of the First Week in Lent
(Matthew 6:7-15)
It is said that while Charles Lindberg was making the first solo flight across the Atlantic, he began to doubt the accuracy of his instruments. Worrying that his compass was off, he was tempted to alter his course. But he kept faith in the compass, thank God, and successfully landed in Paris.
Like a navigator trusts in his compass so we put our faith in the word of God. Isaiah in the first reading tells us God’s word always accomplishes its purpose. Because Jesus utters it, the “Our Father” of the gospel is certainly the word of God. We can utterly rely on its efficacy. The bread we rely on will be provided. The forgiveness we require will be granted as long as we are willing to forgive. Saying it opens us to the mysteries of salvation.
The “Our Father” has been called the Christian Shema. Shema is a Hebrew word meaning hear. The Old Testament’s Book of Deuteronomy proclaims, “Shema, Israel,” “Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our God ... you shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. Take to heart these words.... Speak of them at home and abroad, whether you are busy or at rest.” So we should pray the “Our Father” as our first words in the morning, our last words at night, and throughout the day. Doing so we will not only find our daily needs met but also be led to salvation.
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