17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) - Luke 11: 1-13

To support the ministry and get access to exclusive content, go to: http://patreon.com/logicalbiblestudy Luke 11: 1-13 - 'How to pray.' Catechism of the Catholic Church Paragraphs: - 2759-2856 - Entire section of the Catechism which covers the Our Father. - 520 (in 'Our Communion in the mysteries of Jesus') - In all of his life Jesus presents himself as our model. He is "the perfect man", who invites us to become his disciples and follow him. In humbling himself, he has given us an example to imitate, through his prayer he draws us to pray, and by his poverty he calls us to accept freely the privation and persecutions that may come our way. - 2601 (in 'Jesus Prays') - "He was praying in a certain place and when he had ceased, one of his disciples said to him, 'Lord, teach us to pray."' In seeing the Master at prayer the disciple of Christ also wants to pray. By contemplating and hearing the Son, the master of prayer, the children learn to pray to the Father. - 2759 (in 'Our Father!') - Jesus "was praying at a certain place, and when he ceased, one of his disciples said to him, 'Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.'" In response to this request the Lord entrusts to his disciples and to his Church the fundamental Christian prayer. St. Luke presents a brief text of five petitions, while St. Matthew gives a more developed version of seven petitions. The liturgical tradition of the Church has retained St. Matthew's text (abbreviated). - 2632 (in 'Prayer of Petition') - Christian petition is centered on the desire and search for the Kingdom to come, in keeping with the teaching of Christ. There is a hierarchy in these petitions: we pray first for the Kingdom, then for what is necessary to welcome it and cooperate with its coming. This collaboration with the mission of Christ and the Holy Spirit, which is now that of the Church, is the object of the prayer of the apostolic community (abbreviated). - 1425 (in 'Why a Sacrament of Reconciliation after Baptism?') - But the apostle John also says: "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." and the Lord himself taught us to pray: "Forgive us our trespasses," linking our forgiveness of one another's offenses to the forgiveness of our sins that God will grant us (abbreviated). - 2845 (in 'As we forgive those who trespass against us') - There is no limit or measure to this essentially divine forgiveness, whether one speaks of "sins" as in Luke (11:4), "debts" as in Matthew (6:12) (abbreviated). - 2613 (in 'Jesus teaches us how to pray') - Three principal parables on prayer are transmitted to us by St. Luke: the importunate friend," invites us to urgent prayer: "Knock, and it will be opened to you." To the one who prays like this, the heavenly Father will "give whatever he needs," and above all the Holy Spirit who contains all gifts (abbreviated). - 2761 (in 'The Lord's Prayer') - The Lord's Prayer "is truly the summary of the whole gospel." "Since the Lord . . . after handing over the practice of prayer, said elsewhere, 'Ask and you will receive,' and since everyone has petitions which are peculiar to his circumstances, the regular and appropriate prayer [the Lord's Prayer] is said first, as the foundation of further desires." - 443 (in 'The Only Son of God') - He distinguished his sonship from that of his disciples by never saying "our Father", except to command them: "You, then, pray like this: 'Our Father'", and he emphasized this distinction, saying "my Father and your Father" (abbreviated). Got a Bible question? Send an email to [email protected], and it will be answered in an upcoming episode!