Homily Eleventh Thursday of Ordinary Time (Matthew 6:7-15) “Us not I”
Homily Eleventh Thursday of Ordinary Time (Matthew 6:7-15) “Us not I”
A young novice asked Teresa of Avila what she needed to do to grow spiritually. Teresa said without missing a beat, “Pray the Our Father every day but take an hour to do it.” How often we rush through the Our Father without even thinking about what we are saying. Teresa is reminding us that it is better to say one prayer reflectively than to say many prayers poorly.
If we dwell on the Our Father carefully, we will notice many things that we never have before. One thing that we notice, is that the Our Father is said using a plural voice.
The first word is our not me. We read later on the word us used not I. The Our Father, then, is not a self-centered prayer. We are praying for the good of the world not our good. We are thinking about what we all need not just what I need.
To often we get caught up in our own problems and our worries. When we think about our own difficulties too much then we get depressed and despondent much faster. When we reflect on the common plight of humanity and pray for others then our spirits lift, for we leave selfishness behind.
The next time we say the Our Father it would be good to note all the places we pray for the Common Good and to think about the things we want everyone to have. We want everyone to have bread to eat for the day. We want everyone to forgive and be forgiven. We want everyone to be preserved from evil. If these prayers were answered how much better the world would be!
Reflection Questions:
1. How much do I concentrate on my needs when I am praying rather than praying for others? Could I pray for those who are in poverty today?
2. In our world how often do we here it said, “I was wrong, and I need your forgiveness? When we ask for forgiveness is this a sign of weakness or strength?
Dear Parishioners,
I have been asked to point out that if you signed up to attend a weekend Mass last weekend, this does not mean that you are signed up for every future week. You must sign up each week for the upcoming weekend’s Mass that you wish to attend. Go to our website and sign up or call our office and someone will assist you.
We are trying to keep households six feet apart when we have Mass in Church. If you come to Mass as a family, you will have your own pew and can sit together. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Remember that the doors for Mass will be open one-half hour early. We will ask people to leave shortly after Mass so that we can sanitize the church for the next service.
Remember that tomorrow there will be a rosary said before our 8 a.m. livestream Mass.
May Mary and the Angels and Saints watch over you today.
Fr. Mark