February 19, 2013

USCCB »  Bible »  Daily Readings

 « February 18  |  February 20 »

Tuesday of the First Week of Lent 
Lectionary: 225

Reading 1IS 55:10-11

Thus says the LORD:
Just as from the heavens
the rain and snow come down
And do not return there
till they have watered the earth,
making it fertile and fruitful,
Giving seed to the one who sows
and bread to the one who eats,
So shall my word be
that goes forth from my mouth;
It shall not return to me void,
but shall do my will,
achieving the end for which I sent it.

Just as water from heaven falls to the ground and does not return until the plants have been nourished, so the Word of God will go to earth and not return until God's will is done.

This is a prophecy of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Word of God.  He is the Son of God and came to earth in order to die for our sins.  When that was accomplished, He ascended into heaven and now sits at the right hand of the Father.

Responsorial PsalmPS 34:4-5, 6-7, 16-17, 18-19

R. (18b) From all their distress God rescues the just.Glorify the LORD with me,
let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
R. From all their distress God rescues the just.

Let us assemble together in the Mass and give glory to God.

Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.
R. From all their distress God rescues the just.

Turn to Him, repent of your sins and you will be filled with blessings.  You will not be embarrassed.  When the weak call out, God answers them.

The LORD has eyes for the just,
and ears for their cry.
The LORD confronts the evildoers,
to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.
R. From all their distress God rescues the just.

The Lord protects the righteous who keep His commandments from the wicked who would erase them from the earth.

When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,
and from all their distress he rescues them.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.
R. From all their distress God rescues the just.

When the righteous call to God for help, God answers them.  God is close to those who are in despair and those who have lost hope, He saves. 

GospelMT 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.

When you pray, make sense.  Don't string words together which mean nothing.  Be single minded.  Pray with faith.  Know what you want and ask God for it.  God, who knows what you need before you ask. 

Take note that Jesus says that God knows what you NEED.  You won't always get what you want, unless what you want is good for you.  

“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.

Then Jesus teaches His students to pray the Our Father.  Protestants frequently pretend that this is the only prayer which God wants us to pray and only to the Father.  But this is a formula prayer.  It is one of the most important prayers which we have.  But it is not the only one because the formula, "this is how you are to pray" is what Jesus intended to convey more than anything.

Notice that the same formula is used in our prayers to Mary and the Saints as well.

First, we honor them:

Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.

Then we make our intentions:

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.

First we honor them:

Hail Mary, full of grace.
Our Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb,
Jesus.

Then we make our intentions:

Holy Mary, Mother of God,

pray for us sinners,

now and at the hour of our death.

Amen.

We pray to God in terms of adoration and for salvation.
We pray to the Saints for their intercession.

This formula isn't always present, but it is very prevalent especially in our formal prayers.  Even our impromptu prayers have this formula.  For instance, "Dear Lord, help me!"

Honor, "Dear Lord".
Intention or requrest, "Help me!"

“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.”

In other words, you must be in a state of grace before you can expect God to forgive you or to answer your prayers.  St. James says elsewhere:

James 5:16 ..... The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.