17 Ordinary: July 23/24, 2022

The bold parts were read by a reader/Deacon from the ambo while the other part was read by Father Matthew from the back of Church.

    Our Father, who art in heaven.

Yes.
    Did I hear a voice?
You did.
    As soon as I begin to pray it seems like someone or something ALWAYS interrupts me.  So I will start again.  Our Father, who art in heaven.
Yes.
    You’ve interrupted me again!
But you called me.  You said, “our Father who art in heaven” so here I am.
    Oh my God!
You sound surprised.
    I did not expect you would answer.
But when you pray to me – don’t you expect me to listen???
    Yes, but I don’t expect you to talk to me.
Now that I’m talking to you– what did you want to say to me?
    I want to say the prayer that your Son taught us to say.
Good.  Let’s start it again.
    Our Father. . .
What a great way to begin praying - for I am indeed your Father.  Fathers like to be close to their children but sometimes children don’t want to be close to their Father. . .

    Sometimes you pray to me as if I am not interested in you – or you pray to me just in case all those things you heard about me really are true – in case you really will have to meet me face to face and account for EVERYTHING you ever did. . . Can you start believing today – right now – that I really am your Father – and that I really do love you and care about you – no matter what??
    Yes, Father, I do believe that you care about me.
    And you do know what Jesus called me right?  He called me Abba, which meant Daddy in his day – can that make our relationship a little more intimate?
    Yes, Daddy – you care for all of us.
I’m glad you said “us” because I am the Father of everyone.
    That’s why Jesus started this prayer by saying “our Father” - right?
    That’s it – for if I am Father of everyone – it makes all of you brothers and sisters – who should care for one another. . .
    Okay.  Here I go again:  our Father, who art in heaven.  Hallowed be thy name.
    What does hallowed mean?
    What’s that??  When you pray you don’t even know what the words mean??  Hallowed be thy name – means may God’s name be held holy, may it be respected.
    Well, I’m sorry for all the times I have not hallowed your name!  I will do better with that.  So, Thy kingdom come.
    And when you say that – what does that mean?
    I’m not exactly sure how to describe it – but I want to say - I’m praying for a better place.
    Indeed.  When people love others and forgive, and allow me into their lives – then my kingdom will come – and the world will be a better place.
    So allow me to say that we desperately need your kingdom to come. . .  Look at all the troubles in the world – Ukraine, the Middle East – 
why just this week we had a police officer slain in North Kansas City!  And then just in my family, things can be a mess at times!  
    Yes, we need your kingdom – but what will bring it about??
    Well, when MY will is done – not yours, or anyone else’s on the face of the earth.  So what is my will?
    I think it would be easier if you told me!  It just sickens me when someone is killed tragically or dies painfully and someone flippantly says – well, it must have been God’s will. . .


    That makes me angry too.  It is NOT my will that people suffer – that would make me more of a monster – instead of the loving Father that I am.  I do not will bad things for you or for anyone else.  I will only what is best for you.  I am your Father, your Abba, your Daddy – and I want only the best for you.
What do we mean then when we pray “your will be done on earth as it is in heaven?”
Really, it is the same as the previous prayer:  “Thy Kingdom Come”.  Once again it is praying for love and forgiveness to take over the earth.  How much longer must I wait until people actually get along with each other?
So why isn’t your kingdom coming and you will    being done in our country – in our world – even within me and my family?

Because people are only partly obeying my will. . .  People are stubborn and have not converted their minds and hearts to my way of thinking . . .  to get the kingdom of God to come – you must bend your mind – converting it to my way of thinking – you must change your mind to the mind of my son, Christ your Lord.  Only then will everyone have peace, happiness, and contentment.
    But how do we do that?  How do we bend our minds to your will and change our minds to your way of thinking??
    You change your mind to my way of thinking by learning more about how I think.  I do not think they way you humans think.  Where can you learn about my way of thinking?
    In the Bible, in the Scriptures we hear read at Mass, in the preaching of the homily and the teaching of the Church – I think these are a pretty good place to start.
    They are.  My word which you hear in all these different ways become a part of you – so that you will think like me – and not think as the world does.  Then my will will be done in your life and my kingdom will come into your life.  If you do not know the Bible – you do not know what my will is – and then my kingdom will not come.

    Yes, Father, I need to make more of an effort to get to know your will for us which is revealed to us in the Bible.
    “Give us this day our daily bread.”
    Well, by looking around, people here seem to get enough daily bread. . . but you are praying for more than just enough to eat – like for a roof over your head.
    If we are asking for food and shelter – then there are a lot of people in the world we need to be praying for.
    “And  forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”


    Yes, as a Father who loves you - I certainly want to forgive you of your faults and failings.  But you, too,must forgive those who have wronged you – that’s part of the prayer you know.  Just remember that forgiveness is a decision – not a feeling.  So decide today to forgive – it’s more for your benefit than for theirs. . .
    And lead us not into temptation.
    It’s funny asking me not to lead you into temptation – when did you ever need me or anyone else to do that for you?  You always seem to walk toward temptation instead of away from it. . .  But do pray to avoid the temptations you can avoid, and to resist the temptations you cannot avoid.  The temptations are not always the problem – but how we react to them is.
    And deliver us from evil.
    Yes, there is a lot of evil around.  But entrust your life to me and no matter what happens that is against my will – you need not worry.  
Sometimes you can do a lot yourself to prevent evil having its way.  All you need for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing.
    When you look for justice for yourself and others, you are delivering the world from evil.
    Well, that was some chat we had today.  You brought new meaning to this prayer that normally I just kind of rattle off.
    Yes, we did have quite the chat – let’s do it again – soon.  And let’s finish together by saying:
    [Both together]:  AMEN!

    
    
    

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