Daily Gospel Reflection for October 5, 2022

Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel.

Reflection by Meggie K. Daly

Today's Gospel: Luke 11:1-4

The evangelists Mathew and Luke both wrote that Jesus taught His disciples the Our Father prayer. Unlike Mathew’s longer traditional version, Luke’s abbreviated version contains only five elements. Today’s Gospel is an opportunity to reflect on those points.

First, Jesus addresses his prayer to God the Father. Jesus defers to the Father—always. As Christians, we pray to the Father in the name of Jesus through the Holy Spirit.

Second, we are to pray for the coming of the Kingdom of God here and now. We participate in the Kingdom of God while still on earth through the merits of His Son, Jesus, and by prayerful offerings of our day-to-day activities: thoughts, words, and actions.

Third, Jesus tells us to ask for only what we need, trusting that the Father will provide. For me, that translates to letting go of my anxious need to control everything and allowing God to drive. The “gift” of anxiety is that it can tether us to the recognition that we depend on God—not ourselves.

Fourth, Jesus tells us that if we want God to forgive us, we must forgive those who have hurt or wronged us. To the extent that we are merciful, so shall we reap. Thus, we must search our hearts daily for the slightest trace of bitterness or unforgiveness.

Lastly, we ask the Father to save us from the final test. Here I focus on the words final test. Jesus faced His death with intense prayer. Jesus tells us that we must pray, now and often, for protection from the temptation to lose hope at the end of our lives. To finish our earthly journey strong, we must trust in Jesus’s perfect restitution as the bridge between the Father’s divinity and our imperfections.

Ponder:

Do you pray or just say the words of the Our Father?

Pray:

Lord, help me to forgive others as You forgive me. Teach me to trust in Your provision and mercy.

Click to tweet:
Our anxiety can tether us to the recognition that we depend on God—not ourselves. #dailygospel

Copyright 2022 Meggie K. Daly

Meggie K. Daly, a retired research scientist, is the author of For the Sake of His Sorrowful Passion: Praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet with Scripture and Art and Bead by Bead: The Scriptural Rosary. She is the mother of six adult children and six grandchildren.