Is 55:10-11
Matthew 6:7-15
The words of the Our Father are so familiar to us. Sometimes they can lose their impact and we miss the fact that the prayer is revolutionary. We are praying that God’s kingdom might come. That’s every value turned on its head. No ifs, no buts. Are we ready for this?
In his Rule St Benedict asks that the Our Father be recited several times during the monastic day:
‘Assuredly, the celebration of Lauds and Vespers must never pass without the superior reciting the entire Lord’s Prayer at the end for all to hear, because the thorns of contention are likely to spring up.
Having the superior recite the Our Father is a safeguard for community living. St Benedict knows that the small irritations can quickly become big irritations. Praying that God’s kingdom may come involves the readiness to forgive others on a daily basis. Each time we do this we build for the kingdom.
How can you build for the kingdom this Lent?