There are two versions of the Lord’s Prayer in the gospels. The shorter version is Luke 11:1-4, and the longer version is Matthew 6:9-11. The two versions are addressed to different ethnic groups. Luke is writing for Gentile Christians who had not learned to pray like their Jewish counterparts whom Matthew addresses in his Gospel.

The Lord’s Prayer is Jewish in structure and content and there are similar texts that observant Jews pray daily. An early Christian text from the mid to late first century, called the ‘Didache’ or ‘Teaching of the Apostles’, is a compendium of Christian practices which encourages Christians to pray the Lord’s Prayer three times a day.

Luke presents Jesus at prayer more than any other evangelist, so it is not surprising that one of his disciples asks the Lord to teach them how to pray. Jesus obliges and the prayer he teaches is composed of five petitions. Praise of God, openness to the fullness of the kingdom of God, a request for daily nourishment, forgiveness from God and by one another, and seeking God’s protection in challenging times.

The parable of the insistent friend reminds us of the need for persistence in prayer. However, persistence does not guarantee our desired outcome, so how do we respond when God does not give us what we want. The challenge in persistent prayer is to pray with hope and expectation rather than presumption. The Lord always responds to our prayer but not necessarily in the way that we hope.

Moses prayed that he would enter the promised land with the people he had led for forty years, but this did not eventuate. King David prayed and fasted for seven days that his son would live, but he died. Jeremiah prayed that Jerusalem would not be destroyed but it was. The apostle Paul prayed for the removal of an affliction he called “a thorn in his side” but it never went away.

These biblical examples are reminders that God is not like some cosmic vending machine where we put in our request and our selection appears as we wish. God is not someone we can manipulate, but a loving God who sees beyond our immediate needs and gives us the strength to continue in good and difficult times.

The response to the psalm of the day is, “Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.” Let us imitate the psalmist by not only asking for what we desire but also by giving thanks to God for what has happened in our lives and how God’s response has “increased the strength of my soul.”

The overall emphasis of the different sections of the gospel is on continuing to grow in our relationship with God who can be understood as a loving and caring parent who always wants what is best for us even if it is not always what is on our wish list.

Michael A Kelly CSsR

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