Isaiah55:10-11. Psalm 34:4-7,16-19. Matthew 6:7-15. Lectionary #226

We continue the journey with Jesus in his suffering, death, and
resurrection during this first full week of Lent. The three themes of
prayer, fasting, and almsgiving (generous giving of ourselves in time,
talent, and resources) will be the three principal practices of which the
readings will constantly remind us. Today it is quite clear that prayer is
the theme since the Lord's Prayer is taught to us by Jesus in the excerpt
from Matthew. It is contained within the larger preaching of Jesus called
the Sermon on the Mount (chapters 5 through 7). I took the reading from
Isaiah about the word of God as a way of reflecting on the words of Jesus
given to us in the "Our Father." In Hebrew thought this word is expressed
through DABAR which can also be translated as an event or a happening.
Thus when God sends forth the word something is created and in today's
reading the word is effective in allowing the rains to permeate the soil
and produce abundant growth. God's word is ever effective and creative.
In the words of the Our Father we can choose any one of the seven petitions
within it and pray that it be effective in our own spiritual lives. The
whole prayer is filled with mercy, forgiveness, and love. It is the part
about forgiveness that hit me today:"and forgive (me) us the wrong we have
done as we forgive those who wrong us." This word is the one I will call
to mind and pray about today when I do say the Lord's Prayer several times
during the day and at the Eucharist just before receiving the Lord. Coming
back to the Hebrew word DABAR, I was impressed with a painting by one of
our Brothers named Charlie who called the work DABAR. The exhibit entitled
"The Dynamic Duo" is displayed with that Brother Don who works with
ceramics. We discussed Charlie's work from both the biblical and artistic
rendition of what DABAR means while touring the exhibit. For me the
painting captures the dynamism, the effectiveness, and the beauty of God's
word in creation and redemption. I copied a page or two from a delightful
book on the Psalms which covers key words in the Hebrew and dabar is among
them. (see A Short Dictionary of the Psalms, by Jean-Pierre Prevost,
Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Minnesota, 1997, pages 78-79). The author
is in agreement with my translation of it as a happening or an event.
Today I invite all of you and myself to consider the Lord's Prayer as
Jesus' dabar to us. May it be a spiritual event and a happening in our
lives.If we truly pray this great prayer we will be effective agents of
God's redeeming mercy, love, and forgiveness. Amen.