Reflection on the Gospel of the Wednesday In The Twenty-Seventh Week In Ordinary Time |
Luke 11:1-4 |
Reflecting on this scripture passage, I realised the power and meaning of the words “Our Father”, here was Jesus changing the way to look at God completely. God could no longer be seen as a ruler, who was kind and merciful, but distant. Just as God through Jesus became human and started living with humanity, the Father also comes closer to us, through Jesus teaching us to pray in the ancient way of the Sons of God.
But I felt we need to personalise this even more and say ‘My Father,’ because this is very important for us to understand. Many of us suffer from a wrong understanding of who God is, because our idea of God is based on our experiences here on earth. Some of us have tyrants as fathers, some of us have never seen our fathers, while still some of us have indifferent fathers… God is not that, He is shepherd, best-friend, companion, secret keeper, brother, hope and many more things put together. And to understand this we need to wait for and in God’s Presence. And when we realise the goodness of His Presence, and taste it, our lives will never be the same. Storms may ravage you, doubts may surface and crisis may wash you away, but the sureness of his love for you will be the anchor of your life. The glad point in your life. The liberating experience. This is what Paul is trying to also explain, when he recounts his sufferings in 2 Corinthians 11:16-30.
But then the word , ‘Our’, popped out at me… And I realised, as much as we need to understand God as My Father, we also very much need to understand God as Our Father… Because when we learn the depths of the word ‘Our’, we realise there is no foreigner among us, all our brothers and sisters. We are called to look at the causes of insecurity, fear, doubt in our lives and look at these in the light of God being my Father and Your Father, providing and protecting me equally, as much as you. When we realise this, than the very foundation of hostility in my life and in the lives of those who realise this, collapses…
We pray, joining with our brother Jesus, in referring to God as Our Father, and inviting God in our lives as My Father, may your name Father be ever Hallowed ! May Your Peace reign in my life and our lives, as your Kingdom is established within us and all around us. We bless you Father, for always being true to us, taking care of us, and providing for us. Help us to be released of all vestiges of fear and insecurity, and help us in times when our weakness seek to swallow us. Deliver us and bring us to your Banqueting Table, to be with you forever. Amen.
