Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection March 11, 2025
Tuesday First Week of Lent
11th March 2025 (Tuesday)
Psalter: Week 1
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Isaiah 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.
Psalm 34:4-5, 6-7, 16-17, 18-19 (R. 18b)
R/. From all their distress God rescues the just.
Gospel Acclamation
V/. Glory and praise to you, O Christ.
R/. Glory and praise to you, O Christ.
V/. One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God
R/. Glory and praise to you, O Christ.
Gospel: Matthew 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.”
Daily Gospel Reflection
Tuesday – First Week of Lent
Main Point: Prayer is not just a matter of reciting some prayers or making some supplications. Prayer is a matter of realizing, relating, and reforming
We have in today’s gospel the sublime prayer ‘Our Father’. It is unique because it is the only prayer that is formulated, taught, and ordered by Jesus to pray. However, the prayer ‘Our Father’ is not just a single, individual prayer. It is not so much what to pray for. It is not so much about the contents or formulations. Rather, what matters is how to pray, with what spirit to pray. Thus, the prayer ‘Our Father’ is not a prayer but the way of praying.
‘Our Father’ is the model or summary-prayer. It denotes the essence of the spirit of praying. Some of the essential ingredients of this spirit of praying are the sense of family and belonging; the sense of reverence; the sense of surrender; the sense of mission; the sense of contentment; the sense of forgiveness, and the sense of resistance and steadfastness amidst trials and temptations.
“Sense of family and belonging”: In calling God ‘Our Father’, we affirm and remind ourselves that we all belong to one family of God as His children and brothers and sisters. Therefore, a good prayer must always carry this note and tone of filial and fraternal bonding.
“Sense of reverence”: “Holy be your name!” implies that we not only honour and revere God but also live a life that keeps up His holy name. We keep Him holy by living holy and worthy lives.
“Sense of surrender”: “Your will be done!” Our prayer is that we do not cling to or do our will but God’s will. His will becomes our norm and doing His will becomes our only concern and priority.
“Sense of mission”: We wish and pray that God reigns everywhere and always. We pray that His kingdom of love, justice, and peace is established. Further, we also commit ourselves to promoting this kingdom.
“Sense of content”: “Give us our daily bread” denotes that we become satisfied with what is minimum. We shall not be ridden by greed and accumulation.
“Sense of forgiveness”: This is a crucial attitude and approach for genuine prayer. A prayer that has no forgiving heart is not acceptable to God. A heart that prays but harbouring a grudge, resentment, and negativity cannot win God’s grace. To the extent we forgive others. to that extent, we will obtain God’s forgiveness.
“Sense of steadfastness”: Surrounded and tormented by trials and tribulation. In the face of them, we must remain stable, not lament, and become efficacious; lest we succumb easily to any little stroke of evil.
My Practice: The quality of prayer does not depend upon the quantity of words but the quality of faith. It consists of filiality, fraternity, and fraternity
