Reading: Matthew 6,9
Therefore, you should pray like this: “Our Father…”
Reflection: One of my earliest memories of my dad is him crouching down with his arms wide open, waiting for me to run into his embrace. I remember feeling excited as I ran towards him because I knew it was a place of complete safety, and he would always lift me up and carry me to the door of our house. I would see the world from an unfamiliar, high perspective that I could only have in his arms.
Jesus introduces us to a spiritual dimension of communication with our heavenly Father. The words He uses to start this communication are “Our Father.” It’s interesting that this prayer doesn’t begin with “Our Lord,” “Our Creator,” or “Our God.” Through this example, Jesus establishes an intimate, close, and parental relationship between the petitioner and the Father.
Over time, my relationship with my dad has changed significantly. I no longer run to him for hugs, nor do I see the world from his perspective. There is a whole world of interrupted and broken communication between us. This reminds me of my relationship with God, and how often I don’t want to see Him as a dad who stoops down, comes to my level, waits for me to embrace Him, and shows me the world the way He sees it. Somewhere along the way, our communication got lost.
Despite this, God, unlike our earthly fathers, will not give up on us. He knows how to fix the communication break. All we need to do is start running toward Him.
Prayer: Our Father, today we remember how You chose to come among us and show us Your role in our relationship. You want us to see You as a dad who can’t wait for us to come to Him for a hug. Forgive me because I often don’t want that hug or want to see the world from Your perspective. However, You know that deep down, I yearn for Your love and the security that I have in You. Help me get closer to You and remind me of how wonderful it is to be in Your embrace.