Words, Coming and Going
Feb 28: Tuesday of the First Week of Lent
Today’s readings are about words—the words we speak and the words we listen to. We hear God’s word, but also learn how we should talk to God.
Matthew’s version of the Our Father, which we hear today, is the one we’re more familiar with. That’s because it was written after Luke’s. The Church as an institution had established at the time Matthew was written, and certain prayers and liturgical norms had already been formalized. You’d probably recognize the mass Matthew celebrated. Luke’s version might be closer to Jesus’ literal words, but as we’ve been discussing lately, the literal words aren’t quite as important as the intent behind them.
Reading 1
Is 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.
God isn’t talking for His own health, you know. He expects you to take His words and do something with them! Make sure you plant the seed and grow.
Responsorial Psalm
PS 34:4-5, 6-7, 16-17, 18-19
R. 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.
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.
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.
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.
God listens as well as speaks to us. He hears our prayers. Don’t be afraid to cry out.
Verse Before the Gospel
Mt 4:4b
One does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.
Quick aside: don’t forget that word “alone.” Jesus still expects us to eat, to carry out our daily living. Prayer is in addition to all the normal parts of secular life, not a replacement.
Gospel
Mt 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.
"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."
This is the passage we skipped in the middle of Ash Wednesday’s reading. There, Jesus was telling us not to pray like hypocritical pharisees, who followed God’s law outwardly but not in their hearts; here, he’s reminding us not to be Pagans, either.
Pagans would rattle off a list of gods they were praying to. The idea was that they could bind a god into service by naming them. But that’s not how the God of Israel, the Father of the Holy Trinity, works. He’s always listening, but he’s not at our beck and call. We can’t command God; we can only ask.
And part of that request requires action on our part. If we ask for forgiveness, we need to offer forgiveness to others. Because God is just, but also merciful. You offer a little mercy in your human way, He’ll give you infinite mercy in His Divine way.