Reflection for June 18 Thursday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time: Matthew 6:7-15

Gospel: Matthew 6:7-15

Jesus said to his disciples, “In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 

“This is how you are to pray: ‘Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’ 

“If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”

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Reflection:

If we have five things to do every day, is prayer one of them?

In the busyness of our daily lives, we often fill our days with many responsibilities, plans, and concerns. But among the many things we do each day, do we always make time to be with the Lord in prayer?

When we pray with all our hearts, we allow the good Lord to nourish our tired and thirsty spirits. Prayer becomes the place where we bring our joys, struggles, hopes, and fears before Him. Through our humble prayers, we invite God to enter more deeply into our lives, and little by little, we grow in our personal relationship and friendship with Jesus.

In the Gospel, Jesus teaches us how to pray. He reminds us that prayer does not need to be complicated or filled with many words. Our prayers must come from a sincere and humble heart because our loving God already knows what we need even before we ask Him. What matters most is not the length of our prayers, but the love, faith, and trust that we offer to Him.

Let us reflect: When we pray the Our Father, do we close our eyes and truly recognize that we are speaking with our Father in heaven? Have we ever been moved to tears because we feel God’s presence and love through this prayer? Do we still kneel in humility and reverence when we pray? These simple acts of faith help us deepen our connection with God and open our hearts to a more personal encounter with Him.

Prayer is a sacred conversation with God. Through prayer, we speak to Him, but we must also learn to be still and listen as He speaks to our hearts. In the silence of prayer, God strengthens us when we are weak, heals us when we are wounded, comforts us when we are burdened, and gives us hope when we face difficulties.

Prayer is not only something we do; it is a relationship we nurture with God. It is our daily reminder that we are never alone because the Lord walks with us through every moment of our journey.

So let us ask ourselves: Is prayer only one of the many things we do each day, or has it become the foundation of our relationship with God? Are we willing to set aside time to encounter Him, listen to Him, and allow Him to transform our hearts through prayer?– Marino J. Dasmarinas