Wednesday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time
Lord, Teach Us To Pray
Other Celebrations for this Day:
Liturgical Cycle: A | Lectionary Cycle: II
Introduction
Year II. Though he had received his mission from Jesus and worked mainly among pagans, Paul was in union with those who worked among the Jews; they approved of his work, but asked him to help the poor Christians of Jewish origin. Paul tells the Galatians also how he stood up to Peter the time when the latter did not eat from the table of Christians coming from paganism under pressure from Christians from Jewish origin. That’s hypocrisy, said Paul.
Gospel. The disciples must have admired Jesus when he prayed, for when he had finished, they asked him to teach them to pray. This is indeed what we, too, should ask of him in this eucharist, that our prayer may be wide and deep like his, giving honour to the Father and bringing to him the stream of the needs and concerns of all. And like him too, in our prayers we try not to bend God’s will to ours, but ours to God’s will and intercession.
Opening Prayer
God our Father,
you tell us today how Jesus prayed
and taught his disciples to pray
first and foremost for the glory of your name,
for the coming and growth of your kingdom,
and for heaven and earth to do your will.
We know that this will is a Father’s will
and so we ask of you with trusting faith:
Let your will be ours,
let your glory be ours,
let your kingdom of peace and justice,
of love and forgiveness be ours
and let it grow among us now and forever.
First Reading
Paul and the Other Apostles
After fourteen years, I once again traveled to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and Titus joined us too.
After a revelation, I went to share the gospel I am preaching to the Gentiles. I had a private meeting with the leaders to ensure I was not working or had not worked in the wrong way.
They understood that I had been trusted to deliver the Good News to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been trusted to deliver it to the circumcised.
Just as God made Peter the apostle of the Jews, he made me the apostle for the Gentiles.
James, Cephas, and John acknowledged the grace God gave me. Those men, regarded as the pillars of the Church, extended their hand to Barnabas and me as a sign of fellowship; we would go to the Gentiles, and they to the Jews.
We should only remember the poor among them. I have made sure to do this.
Paul Confronts Peter
Later, when Cephas came to Antioch, I confronted him because he deserved to be blamed.
Before some of James’ followers arrived, he used to dine with the Gentiles. But once they arrived, he withdrew and no longer mingled with them out of fear of the Jewish group.
The rest of the Jews went along with him in this pretense, and even Barnabas was part of this insincerity.
When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas publicly: If you, a Jew, are living like a Gentile, and not like a Jew, why do you now compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?
Responsorial Psalm
R. Go out to all the world, and tell the Good News.
Praise the LORD, all you nations,
glorify him, all you peoples!
R. Go out to all the world, and tell the Good News.
For steadfast is his kindness toward us,
and the fidelity of the LORD endures forever.
R. Go out to all the world, and tell the Good News.
Alleluia Verse
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
You have received a spirit of adoption as sons
through which we cry: Abba! Father!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
One day, Jesus was praying in a certain place; and when he had finished, one of his disciples asked him:
“Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”
And Jesus said to them:
“When you pray, say this:
Father, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins,
for we also forgive all
who are in debt to us;
and do not bring us
to the time of trial.”
Prayers of the Faithful
– That we may be praying people, so that the source of our strength may never run dry and that we may live and work in the presence of God, we pray:
– That for Christians and for all people prayer may not become a flight from life or from involvement with people in need, we pray:
– That we may learn from Christ to place first things first when we pray, to give priority to things that really matter: the coming of God’s kingdom and the good of the People of God, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
God our Father,
the gifts here in our hands
express the prayers of all those present
and also of those who are not here.
Help us to grow in depth and width
in a life of faith and prayer.
Teach us to pray like your Son,
that you may accept us with him
who is our Lord forever.
Prayer after Communion
God our Father,
keep us listening to your word,
as we have done here in the presence of your Son.
Keep us in constant dialogue with you,
that we may also be capable of dialogue
with the world and with our brothers and sisters.
Let prayer be to us a source of commitment
that never dries up.
We ask you this in the name of Jesus the Lord.
Blessing
It is good to remember that, as Christians, we have the task to pray for all people. It is our role to be mediators, just as we are also mediators of peace and reconciliation. May Almighty God bless you, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
REFLECTIONS
Luke 11: 1-4
And I tremble, tremble, tremble…
I would like to pick up where we left off yesterday with Jonah's story. Well, it didn’t work for Jonah, who was exceedingly troubled and angry. Angry because he, like Martha yesterday, wanted some “face” in front of Nineveh. The fact that even God was willing to change his ways in response to Nineveh's conversion makes one wonder what is so troubling to Jonah's heart that he cannot rejoice in its salvation.
The Lord wants to speak with Jonah, but Jonah goes out of the city and sits on the east side. I see this image as being really powerful for understanding our relationship with God: Jonah kind of leaves God there with the word in his mouth...a kind of "whatever..." to God...and God takes it plain. Nevertheless, God uses another way to make Jonah understand the joy of God when humanity is spared from destruction and saved... If anything is clear in both the New and Old Testaments, it's that God will never give up on us.
Today's Gospel clearly illustrates why. It presents a straightforward prayer lesson that unlocks numerous possibilities. Do we recognize the significance of the two words, "Our Father," spoken by Jesus? When we call God "our Father," we affirm that we are brothers and sisters in Christ, with Jesus as the one who links us to the Father, his Abba.
A further confirmation of our connection to God is that each person is a son or daughter of God—not just an “image of God” but truly a child of God. There are no superior or inferior beings; no races hold privileges, nor is nobility determined by bloodlines or ties to titans or gods like past emperors or kings. We are simply sons and daughters, and that is enough.
How can we even dare to say the words "Our Father" without trembling from the very depths of our beings?