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 men their transgressions,your heavenly Father will forgive you.But if you do not forgive men,neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”
REFLECTION: “In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words.”
What does Jesus mean "not to babble"?
When we look at the ancient world, the Romans had different types of prayers. Their religion was cult based, and involved the worship of a god, goddess, hero, or other spirits. Unlike Christian religion, gods needed mortal acknowledgment to have power.
The gods also needed to be appeased, especially those of thunder, seas, and other natural forces. These appeasements were done via proper rites rather than through true piety.
Most of their daily prayers were oral petitions that were repeated constantly, some kind of quid pro quo between the mortal and the spirit. They would also recite long litanies of divine names, that way they might gain the attention of one of the gods. This most likely was not an act of true faith, but a way to "cover all your bases" to obtain a divine favor. Again, it was appeasement, and not love.
There is a very interesting book, "A pillar of Iron", by Taylor Caldwell, where the author describes the stateman Cicero as worried if he did his rites well. And yet, Cicero did not believe in God, or the gods. Yet he appeased them "just in case".
I wonder if people in first century Palestine were doing the same as the Romans. And were starting to trade true devotion to God for empty rites. Right before today's reading, Jesus tells the disciples not to pray like the hypocrites, "Standing in the synagogues and street corners, in order that they might be seen." (Mt 6:5)
The disciples saw how many times Jesus would retreat for private prayer. And in that solitude He would be in communion with the Father. Seeing His example, hungering for what He had, they ask Him to teach them how to pray (Lk 11:1).
And Jesus gives us this beautiful prayer.
Just imagine, when we think about it, these are the words of Jesus himself to his disciples. Passed down from Palestine, through Asia, Africa, Europe, America, back to Asia, through the centuries and the millennia.
Today, let's be intentional, and slowly, meditate in the words of Jesus Himself to Our Father in the Lord's prayer.
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