You should pray like this.

Reading from the holy Gospel according to Saint 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.”

The Lord’s word.

For once, let’s look at the Our Father from the perspective of the Father, because we have the bad habit of putting ourselves at the center of our prayers. And what about Our Father? What would He like us to say to Him?

God makes us fathers so that we understand what fatherhood is all about. Like any father, He likes us to tell Him about our things, but above all, He needs to be recognized by us as Father, to know that we trust in Him, that we recognize how much He loves us, that He cares for us and that in His arms we find our rest. Wouldn’t you as a father like your children to live your fatherhood in that way?

And what is the least thing you would like as a father? That your children, among siblings, were fighting. Right? Well, it’s the same thing. God, who is Love, cannot give us His blessing if we do not reconcile with each other.

We have an amazing Father! Glory to Him.

Luis: Okay. We don’t agree and we still don’t, and we will have to discern and both value each other’s opinion, but what we cannot do if we want God to be with us and enlighten us, is to get angry. Okay?

Cristina: Okay. You’re right. The Father does not like that we are distant, and much less, that we have something against each other. Let’s reconcile and trust that He will give us the light to discern well.

Luis: I apologize for calling you stubborn. You are wonderful and I have no right to judge you like that.

Cristina: I apologize for calling you arrogant. You are a precious gift from God, of which I am not worthy.

Luis: I forgive you, Cristina.

Cristina: I forgive you, Luis.

(And the Father who is in heaven blessed them with the light they asked for their discernment)

We want to make the Father smile. He is our Father. We know we are loved by Him and rest in His arms.

Praised be forever.