From the Gospel according to Matthew 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.”

Do Not Recite It — Live It

Our Father:

Teach me to look upon my spouse as a beloved child of the Father.

Who art in heaven:

You are God; I am Your creature. You are great; I am small. I do not understand everything, but I trust in You.

Hallowed be Thy Name:

May I reflect Your love through my love for my spouse, and together may we give You glory.

Thy Kingdom come:

Dethrone me. May I always do what You desire.

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven:

I do not wish to convince You of my plan; I want to live Yours — and to entrust my spouse to You, even in what I do not understand.

Give us this day our daily bread:

Without You we perish. From You I await everything — the food of the body and the food of the soul.

Forgive us our trespasses:

Forgive every lack of love that breaks communion with my spouse and with You.

As we forgive those who trespass against us:

I know I shall receive Your forgiveness only if I never refuse mine to my spouse.

And lead us not into temptation:

Deliver me from pride, from self-pity, and from hardness of heart towards my spouse.

But deliver us from evil:

Show me my sin, Lord. Purify my heart so that I may love You where You most desire to be loved: in my marriage.

 

Brought into Married Life

(After a heated argument. The house is silent.)

Elizabeth: Every time we talk about this, we end up in the same place… I feel so alone.

James: And I feel attacked. It seems that nothing I do is ever enough.

Elizabeth: But do you know something? After our argument, I prayed the Our Father… and suddenly I understood. I understood so much. I can see how busy we are trying to be right, James — defending ourselves… anything but loving when our pride is hurt.

James: I can see it too. I fight against you just to prove I’m right, always trying to defend myself instead of simply understanding you — or loving you.

Elizabeth: When I said, Thy Kingdom come, I realised how often I actually resist His Kingdom, because I always want to be right and to have things done my way.

James: Oh, Elizabeth… how beautiful you are. We are so small. We cannot love without His grace, and yet we insist on trying to do it alone instead of asking for it.

Elizabeth: So… what do we do now?

James: What if we pray the Our Father together — looking into each other’s eyes, very slowly, letting each word pass through our hearts, truly begging Him?

Elizabeth: I love that idea.

James: Then let’s begin.

 

Mother,

Teach me to pray the Our Father as you did — with a heart burning with love and absolute trust. May you always be our perfect model. Praised be the Lord.