Our great teacher

In today's Gospel Jesus, in response to a request from his disciples, teaches them how to pray. They had watched Jesus many times, wrapped in prayer and they wanted to pray as he did. As Father said at Mass this morning, as Jews the disciples already knew how to pray but they knew that with Jesus, there was something different about his prayers. So, Jesus introduced them to the Father and taught them how to pray as He prayed. That lesson is for us as well.

Jesus has given us the "Lord's Prayer" - his prayer. In it there is no mention of Jesus or the Holy Spirit. Isn't that interesting? The prayer is directed solely to the Father and Jesus invites us to pray it with him. We don't say "my father" but together with Jesus we say "our Father."

Read or re-read the Gospel for today http://www.usccb.org/nab/today.shtml and see anew how Jesus responded to his disciples' request. Do we need to learn how to pray? I know that I have lots to learn. So instead of rattling off the "Our Father" let us slowly pray the Lord's Prayer with Jesus, addressing our heart-felt thoughts to our Abba, to our Father. Jesus has already taught us how to pray.