Our Father

“This is how you are to pray: Our Father who art in heaven...” Matthew 6:9

Jesus told his disciples that they should not babble like the pagans when they pray. I suppose it is like when we have a good, close friend. We do not need many words when we talk to them. They already know what we are thinking and feeling. We can be in silent companionship with them and they know when we are sad and when we are happy. So too with our God. “Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him” (Matthew 6:8). 

The prayer Jesus taught was revolutionary. He tells us that we do not have a cosmic, distant God, but a personal, easy to reach “ABBA” father. We are not orphans but dearly loved children who are made in His image and likeness. But He tells us that God is not only our Father, but Father of ALL. He does not exclude anyone. 

Sometimes we Filipinos can be too regionalistic. We help a person or vote for a person because he is from our province for instance. Never mind if he is undeserving or even corrupt. But when we pray the “Our Father”, we see that God means us to be part of the “same region”, the “same tribe”. We should treat all with kindness and consideration because we are all brothers and sisters loved by the same God.