HOMILY FOR 27TH WEDNESDAY IN ORDINARY TIME — YEAR B
HOMILY FOR 27TH WEDNESDAY IN ORDINARY TIME — YEAR B
HOMILY THEME: “LORD, TEACH US TO PRAY…”
BY: Bishop Anthony Ewherido
Galatians 2:1-2,7-14, Ps. 117, Luke 11:1-4
In Matthew’s Gospel (6:5-15), Jesus taught his disciples the Lord’s Prayer as a pattern of all prayer in the Sermon on the Mount while reviewing the Jewish pious practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. In Luke, the disciples see Jesus in prayer and requested that Jesus teach them to pray. His response was the Lord’s Prayer. Jesus gave them as example that they could follow for all time. First is the presentation of prayer as an intimate conversation with God, who is addressed as Father. That is followed by the praise of God’s holy Name and submission to God’s reign in their lives. Based on the trusting relationship with God as our Father, we can confidently count on His providence for our daily bread, on His mercy for the forgiveness of our sins, and on His understanding and love to guide us in temptation.
ALSO RECOMMENDED: HOMILY FOR 27TH WEDNESDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
The Matthean version adds that we can also rely on his outstretched arm to deliver us from the evil one. We pray the Our Father often but hardly contemplate what we are praying. Let us ask the Lord to teach us to pray by respectfully and meditatively praying the Lord’s Prayer each time, knowing the different aspects of our lives that are bound to God’s providential love as reflected in that prayer. This is the only instance of Jesus teaching his disciples to pray in the NT. The other times, he simply encouraged his disciples to pray; pray ceaselessly; pray with faith; pray their way through; pray in and out of season; to pray with assurance; to pray in his Name; and pray not only for themselves but also for others. As you pray the Our Father, I want to propose some intentions: please ask Our Father to help resolve the situations in Ukraine/Russia and in the Middle East; our prayers are also need for the many people who are affected by wars, crises, and natural disasters. We pray especially for the people in Florida, who, at this time, face the devastating and menacing force of nature as hurricane Milton hits them. Father in heaven, please help us.
Lord, in prayer we come to ask, seek and knock; please open to us the door of your mercy an abundance providence. Amen.
FOR A SIMILAR HOMILY, CLICK HERE >>>>>