From the Gospel Reading for the Tuesday of the First Week of Lent:
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.”
I think the Lord’sPrayer, as taught to us by Jesus Himself, has lost its impact given how often it’s said. Frequent repetition begats familiarity and then we do not realize or grasp the importance of what’s being said.
Take, for instance, the petition in the Our Father to “forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” This literally means, as Jesus Himself explains it:
“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.”
Can’t get more simpler than that. You want forgiveness? First, YOU have to forgive others for their sins and transgressions against you. You cannot hope to obtain forgiuveness from God if you, yourself are not willing to be forgiving of what others have done to you (or your country, nation, race, ethnicity…)
I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)