The nature of words

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Today’s first reading, from Is 55:10-11, is about the word of God. The word is like a messenger who succeeds in doing what God sent her to do. Another image Isaiah uses is that of the rain and snow. These fall from the heavens and before they evaporate or, return to the heavens, they make the soil bear fruit, “seed for the sowing and bread for the eating”. On the other hand, the gospel reading from Matthew 6:7-15 is about human words, the words that form the basis of our prayers. This time it is directed heaven-ward. These are prayers of petition whereby we ask God to do something. Jesus insists that we keep our words to a minimum. We shouldn’t babble like people who pester God with many words under the belief that God is either deaf or dumb. Now, what Jesus says is a wake-up call. “God knows what you need before you ask him.” This is why the most powerful prayer is one spoken in complete silence, without any words.

 

For those who have yet to reach that stage, Jesus is considerate enough to leave us with a basic prayer that says all that needs to be said. This prayer is known as The Lord’s Prayer or the “Our Father”. I think this is the point where God’s word meets our human words of petition. It is through God’s word that we learn the “Our Father”. Through Jesus’ teaching about prayer, God’s word bears fruit. It returns to God in the form of a brief but adequate prayer of petition. Also through Jesus’ teaching, we learn how human words can effectively say all that needs to be said in directing one’s request heaven-ward, towards God. What returns is a sense of finding oneself in a sacred space here on earth where God’s will is being carried out, where we experience daily nourishment and where our sense of community is based on divine forgiveness that comes through the forgiveness of one another. It also assures us that God will not test us beyond our ability to resist the evil one. Let us never tire of saying “Our Father who art in heaven …”