“Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”

“For the happy man prayer is only a jumble of words, until the day when sorrow comes to explain to him the sublime language by means of which he speaks to God.” ― Alexandre Dumas, (The Count of Monte Cristo)

(Gospel Text: MT 6:7-15)

Jesus said to his disciples:

“In praying, do not babble like the pagans,

who think that they will be heard because of their many words.

Do not be like them.

Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

“This is how you are to pray:

Our Father who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name,

thy Kingdom come,

thy will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread;

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us;

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

“If you forgive men their transgressions,

your heavenly Father will forgive you.

But if you do not forgive men,

neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”

In today’s gospel, fully human, Christ gave us the perfect prayer to deal with the heartbreaks we experience in life. 

“Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.”  In this line Christ reminds us that even in our broken times, we have a Father in heaven, who loves us very much.  “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”  Here, Christ dares us to have faith to do God’s will even when it doesn’t make sense.  When we are broken, we must remember that God has something in store for us greater than anything we could ever imagine and more impactful than any heartbreak. “Give us this day our daily bread.”  In Jesus’ time bread, was the main staple people ate.  Meat was a luxury, but bread was everyday.  Within the context of heartbreak, daily bread can mean strength.  Lord, give me the strength to make it through today.  “And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.”  Forgiveness is critical in dealing with our brokenness.  We have to forgive others, but we also have to forgive ourselves.  We have to let go of those things that are hurting us.  We pray for the strength to forgive.  “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”  Sometimes, it can be so tempting to give up.  It can be tempting to give up on God, on ourselves, and on other people.  Even in our most broken times, we pray for the strength to resist temptation to quit.