First Reading (Isaiah 55,10-11)
Reading of the Book of the Prophet Isaiah.
This says the Lord: “Just as the rain and the snow come down from the sky and do not return there, but come to irrigate and fertilize the earth, and make it germinate and give seed, for planting and for food, so the word that comes out of my mouth will not return to me empty; rather, it will accomplish everything that is my will and will produce the effects that I intended when I sent it.”
– Word of the Lord.
– Thank God.
Gospel (Matthew 6,7-15)
Proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew.
— Glory to you, Lord.
At that time, Jesus said to his disciples: “When you pray, do not use many words, as the pagans do. They think that they will be heard by virtue of many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need, long before you ask him. You must pray like this: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name; your Kingdom come; your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Our daily bread give us today. Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Indeed, if you forgive men the sins they have committed, your Father in heaven will also forgive you.
— Word of Salvation.
— Glory to you, Lord.
Reflecting the Word of God
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
I would like to begin this homily with a powerful image. Imagine a dry, cracked earth eagerly awaiting rain. For months, the hardened soil begs for water. Then, one day, the clouds gather, the wind blows, and finally, the rain falls. Slowly, the cracks disappear, the earth becomes fertile, and the dormant seeds awaken to life. This natural cycle teaches us something profound about the Word of God and about prayer, the central themes of today’s readings.
In the first reading, the prophet Isaiah brings us a message full of hope and certainty: just as rain comes down from the heavens and does not return without first fulfilling its mission of fertilizing the earth and bearing fruit, the Word of God never returns empty. This is a divine promise. When God speaks, His Word has a transforming effect. It penetrates hearts, touches souls and accomplishes what it was sent to do. But there is one detail: the land needs to be ready to receive it.
Just as rain is useless for hardened soil, the Word of God cannot bear fruit in a closed, distracted or indifferent heart. How many times have we heard the Gospel, but not let it take root within us? How many times does God speak to us through the Scriptures, through a friend, through a homily, but we allow His Word to pass by like the wind, without impact?
This brings us to today’s Gospel, where Jesus teaches us to pray. He warns us against vain repetitions, against a mechanical, empty prayer, as the pagans did, believing that they would be heard by multiplying words. True prayer is not in a lot of talking, but in the depth of the heart that opens to God.
And then Jesus gives us the most valuable gift: the Our Father prayer. This is not just a prayer to be repeated, but a perfect model of how we should address the Father. Let’s explore it carefully.
“Our Father who art in heaven.”
Here Jesus teaches us something revolutionary: we can call God Father. He is not a distant, impersonal, indifferent being. He is a loving Father, who takes care of us, who cares about our needs, who wants us close to Him. We are not alone. We are never alone.
“Hallowed be your name.”
God’s holiness is already perfect in itself, but here we ask that we can recognize and proclaim this holiness in our lives. May everything we do glorify His name.
“Your Kingdom come.”
Here we express our desire for God to reign in our hearts, in our families, in our society. But we also commit to working so that this Kingdom becomes a reality in the world, living according to the Lord’s commandments.
“Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
How many times do we pray these words without reflecting? Accepting God’s will means trusting, even when things don’t go as we planned. It is an act of faith and abandonment. Just as Jesus in Gethsemane said, “Father, not my will, but yours, be done,” we must learn to surrender our lives into God’s hands.
“Give us this day our daily bread.”
Here we ask for the essentials, what we really need. We do not ask for luxury, riches, power, but daily bread, material and spiritual sustenance. And it is a request in the plural: I am not asking just for myself, but for everyone. It reminds us of the need to share.
“Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
This is the most challenging part of prayer. We ask God to forgive us, but on one condition: just as we forgive others. There is no way to want mercy for ourselves if we are not willing to grant it. Forgiveness is the key that sets us free. Holding a grudge is like carrying unnecessary weight. When we forgive, we become lighter, more like Christ.
“Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
We know that evil exists, that we are weak and that we are often attracted to sin. But God gives us the strength to resist. When we turn to Him, when we put ourselves in prayer, He strengthens us and leads us along the path of life.
The Our Father prayer is much more than words spoken automatically. It is an invitation to live in tune with God, to trust Him, to seek what is essential, to forgive and to resist evil. It is the perfect prayer, taught by Christ himself.
Now, brothers and sisters, let us return to the first reading and the image of rain. The Word of God fell upon our hearts today. How was it received? Like an arid, hardened ground that doesn’t absorb water, or like a fertile ground that opens up and lets the seed germinate?
Just as rain makes plants grow, the Word of God, when received sincerely, makes faith, hope and love grow in us. But to do this, you need willingness, openness and perseverance in prayer.
I invite each of you, throughout this week, to pray the Our Father with more attention, with more love, reflecting on each word, each request. And more than that: live this prayer. Forgive from the heart. Trust in God’s will. Only ask for what you need. Work so that His Kingdom may be manifested in the world.
If we do this, then the Word of God, like rain on a thirsty earth, will fulfill its mission in our lives, transforming us, strengthening us and leading us closer to the Father.
May the Lord help us to be fertile soil, to welcome His Word with love and to faithfully live the prayer that Jesus taught us. Amen!
