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Luke 11: 1-4 – Week 27 Ordinary Time, Wednesday (King James Audio Bible KJV, Spoken Word)
1 AND it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.
2 And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
3 Give us day by day our daily bread.
4 And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
We are given different accounts of Jesus teaching his disciples the Lord’s Prayer, the Our Father, in today’s verses from the Gospel of Luke, and also in the Gospel of Matthew, during the Sermon on the Mount. Here the situation is quite different from that of Matthew. Jesus has been praying, seemingly apart, to his Father, and so it is after this that the disciples ask Jesus to teach them how to pray. This is unusual: prayer, especially of the psalms, would have been an integral part of these Jewish people’s daily routine. We are alerted to the Lord’s Prayer being an additional offering, an innovation of grace, and a further initiation for the Christian. The prayer furthermore reflects John the Baptist’s teaching of his disciples. Indeed, a perfectly reasonable translation of the Greek is to say that the disciples of Jesus are asking Jesus to teach them the very same prayer which John taught. We can only speculate as to the extent that Jesus ‘followed after’ John prior to beginning his ministry, during the course of his perfect humanity’s spiritual formation through the hidden years.
As Christians, we usually pray the version of the Lord’s Prayer given in Matthew. In Matthew’s Gospel, there are seven petitions. Here there are five. Both accounts are concerned to simplify prayer, to distil the form of words so as perfectly to capture the essentials of our true relationship with God. We confess and glorify God; we ask for the coming of the Kingdom, for holiness to triumph on Earth as in heaven; we ask for food to sustain us; we ask that we may be accepted and involved within an economy of universal forgiveness; and we ask that we may be protected from temptations of sin, from evil. As we make our petitions, we speak to God with the simplicity of a child addressing his father.
There has been much discussion of the rendering into English as ‘daily bread’ the Greek word epiousion. The word exists nowhere else that we know of, apart from in the Gospels of Mathew and Luke. The word appears to be a compound of epi and ousios. Epi means over, above, beyond, in addition to. Ousious refers to the substance of something. Therefore, putting these words together, we have something like supersubstantial, or super-essential. We have, perhaps, the Eucharist. We ask for the unfolding of supernatural reality within our daily, Earthly lives, along with basic sustenance. There is a certain sense of liminality as we gear our daily lives toward eternal reality, as, as Christians, we ask that our own little corner of the world may become among heaven’s outposts.
Concluding Prayer | Love Revealed By Jesus Christ
Lord, holy Father, faithful to your promise
you sent your Spirit
to bring together a people divided by sin.
Give us grace to foster unity and peace among men.
Through Christ our Lord.
King James Audio Bible | Endnotes
A Life Of Prayer | Saint Teresa Of Avila
Born in Spain in 1515, Saint Teresa of Avila devoted her life to prayer and contemplation, and her teachings on prayer and spiritual growth have had a profound impact on the Church and on Christian spirituality more broadly.
At the heart of Saint Teresa’s teachings on prayer is the idea that prayer is an intimate sharing between friends, a means of coming into closer communion with God. She believed that the soul is like a castle made of a single diamond, in which there are many rooms, each leading to a deeper level of spiritual intimacy with God. Saint Teresa’s most famous work, The Interior Castle, offers a detailed guide to the journey of prayer and spiritual growth, based on her own personal experiences and insights.
In The Interior Castle, Saint Teresa emphasizes the importance of perseverance, humility, and contemplative prayer in the spiritual journey. She writes that the journey of prayer begins in the first room of the castle, where the soul awakens to the reality of God’s presence and begins to seek Him with greater fervor. As the soul progresses through the castle, it encounters various obstacles and challenges that must be overcome through prayer, humility, and perseverance.
Saint Teresa describes the second room of the castle as the room of self-knowledge, where the soul comes to recognize its own sinfulness and need for God’s mercy. In this room, the soul learns to embrace humility and to seek God’s forgiveness through prayer and repentance.
The third room of the castle is the room of prayer, where the soul begins to experience a deeper sense of intimacy with God through contemplative prayer. Here, Saint Teresa emphasizes the importance of silence and stillness, as well as the need to let go of distractions and attachments in order to fully enter into God’s presence.
As the soul progresses through the castle, it encounters deeper levels of spiritual growth and transformation, culminating in the seventh room, where it experiences a profound sense of oneness with God and a deep understanding of His love and mercy. Saint Teresa writes that it is impossible for a soul not to come forth resplendent when it has been granted a vision of the great Majesty.
Saint Teresa’s teachings on prayer and spiritual growth continue to inspire and guide Christians today. Her emphasis on the importance of love, intimacy, and perseverance in seeking God is as relevant now as it was in her own time. As Saint Teresa wrote: ‘The important thing is not to think much but to love much; and so do that which best stirs you to love.’ Saint Teresa’s writings, including The Interior Castle, continue to offer valuable insights and guidance to anyone seeking to deepen their relationship with God through prayer and contemplation.
Here are some thoughts from Saint Teresa of Avila’s The Interior Castle:
- ‘The important thing is not to think much but to love much; and so do that which best stirs you to love.’
- ‘The soul, I see clearly, is like a castle made of a single diamond or crystal, and this diamond is in the shape of a square. […] Anyone who looked upon it would be dazzled and stupefied by the brilliance of this crystal.’
- ‘Mental prayer, in my opinion, is nothing else than an intimate sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with Him who we know loves us.’
- ‘The devil knows well that a person who prays is lost to his temptations, so he tries to hinder the soul from beginning to pray.’
- ‘It is impossible for a soul not to come forth resplendent when it has been granted a vision of the great Majesty.’
The seventy have been sent ahead of Jesus to prepare the way for Jesus; they have been sent to the towns and places – the ‘cities’ of the Gospels are for the most part small towns and villages – to which Jesus intended to travel. These disciples have been sent in a spirit of poverty, told by Jesus to trust in God, and so as a corollary in human hospitality. The disciples have borne the message that the kingdom of God is imminent. In humility as in poverty, they have been sent by Jesus as evangelists. In Bible verses, we witness the first missionaries, swelled with good news, return to Lord Jesus to share the joy of the initial, explosive success of their work of evangelizing [ … ]
Gospel Reading: Matthew 11:28-30 ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ In this passage, Jesus extends an invitation to all who are weary and burdened. Jesus promises rest and relief, urging us to take his yoke and learn from him. Jesus’ gentle and humble heart offers rest for our souls, emphasizing that his yoke is easy and his burden light. This passage is a reminder of the hope we have in Christ, who offers us rest and peace amid our struggles. Prayer Dear Jesus, In times of uncertainty and despair, I turn to you, the source of all hope. Fill my heart with your hope that transcends understanding. Help me to trust in your promises and to find joy and peace in your presence. May your hope renew my spirit and give me the strength to face each day with confidence and faith. Let your hope shine through me, bringing light to others who are in need. Amen. Personal Reflection What are the situations in your life that seem hopeless? How can you invite Jesus’ hope into these areas? Reflect on a time when you experienced renewed hope through your faith in Christ. Meditation On The Prayer And Gospel Matthew 11:28-30 is a passage that speaks directly to our need for hope and rest. Jesus’ invitation to come to him is extended to all who are weary and burdened, offering a refuge from the struggles of life. This invitation is not just a call to physical rest but a deeper spiritual rest that brings peace to our souls. Jesus understands the burdens we carry and offers a yoke that is easy and a burden that is light. The imagery of a yoke suggests partnership and guidance; by taking on his yoke, we align ourselves with him, allowing him to share our burdens and guide our steps. This partnership is marked by learning from Jesus, whose gentle and humble heart sets an example for us. The promise of rest for our souls is comforting. In a world where we often feel overwhelmed and stressed, Jesus assures us that he is our source of true rest and peace. His rest is not temporary or superficial but a peace that sustains us through life’s challenges. This promise gives us hope, knowing that no matter what we face, we can find solace in Jesus. Reflecting on this passage, we are reminded of the importance of surrendering our burdens to Jesus. It requires trust and faith to let go of our anxieties and allow him to take control. This surrender is an act of faith, acknowledging that Jesus is capable and willing to carry our burdens. As we learn to trust him more, we experience the peace and rest he promises. The hope we find in Jesus is transformative. It renews our spirits and gives us the strength to persevere. This hope is not dependent on our circumstances but on the nature of Jesus and his promises. It is a hope that empowers us to face each day with confidence, knowing that we are not alone. As we embrace this hope, we are called to share it with others. The hope we receive from Jesus is not meant to be kept to ourselves but to be a light for others who are struggling. Through words of encouragement, acts of kindness, and simply being present, we can extend Jesus’ invitation of hope and rest to those around us. By living out this hope, we reflect Christ’s love and bring his light into the world. In practical terms, fostering hope involves daily practices that keep us connected to Jesus. Spending time in prayer, reading Scripture, and being part of a faith community help us to stay grounded in our faith and renew our hope. These practices remind us of Jesus’ promises and keep our focus on him rather than on our circumstances. Prayer Lord Jesus, You are the anchor of my hope. In moments of doubt and despair, remind me of your promises. Fill my heart with your joy and peace, and let your hope overflow in my life. Help me to trust in your plans and to find strength in your presence. May your hope shine in me, guiding me through every trial and illuminating the path ahead. Use me as a beacon of your hope, bringing comfort and encouragement to those in need. Thank you for the gift of your eternal hope. Amen. Jeremiah 29:11 ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.’ Blessing May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him. May you overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit, and may His hope guide and sustain you in all things. Amen.
is astonishing to think that very, very few people in the western world do not live in a manmade environment. There may be acres upon acres of farmers’ fields and forests in front of us, and every acre is managed by people, often in situations of great anxiety as they worry about whether they might make some money from their work here. There is little in the way of wilderness remaining in our territories, and each day more is taken away. We may anticipate that, in very little time, all human beings will be living in an obviously man-made environment. It may be that our life on earth will become quite claustrophobic [ … ]
