Breaking the Word

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 in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and do not subject us to the final test, but deliver us from the evil one. If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions. (Mt 6:7-15)

In the ancient pagan world there were many divinities. The people were not sure of what prayer to use which in turn would pacify which god. So they used multiples of prayers and magic words and complicated and long prayers. Prayer of the pagans also expressed the anxieties of the people whether their prayer would be heard at all. Prayers are supposed to remove anxieties and not add up anxieties.

Jesus contrasted the prayer of the pagans with the prayer he had in mind. His prayer was simple, short, and expressed humility. But prayer is one of life’s great mysteries. Prayer is relationship between God and the individual. In relationship word are superfluous. When the presence of God is so real and near then we pass beyond the need of words and time.

Prayer of Jesus provides only a framework. Prayer of Jesus is deeply meaningful and not magical. Prayer is relational (Father). Prayer is to a God who is alive. Prayer is welcoming God’s presence among us (your kingdom come). Prayer is asking God for our needs (He is the creator, provider). Prayer is forgiveness. Prayer is asking God’s presence in the difficult moments of the future (lead us not into temptations). Prayer is belief in redemption.  

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.' Then the righteous will answer him and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?' And the king will say to them in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.' Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.' Then they will answer and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?' He will answer them, 'Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.' And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."  (Mt 25:31-46) 

This story does not need further explanations. Everything is obvious. Jesus speaks about the final judgment. Justice is one of the central themes in the Jewish as well as Christian traditions. It is very difficult to define, explain and the working of justice. God is just. This God wants justice to be done and justice to rule over the land.

Justice does not mean simply punishing the evil doers (though it will also include that); it means bring the whole humanity, the whole world into its original balance. This takes us back to the idea of creation. God created the world and he had his purpose for it. Evil entered into this creation and upset the creation. Now the world will have to be put to rights.

Coming of the kingdom and working of the kingdom is doing this justice in the world. Jesus who is exalted after his suffering and death has been given a position of honour. This story tells us how this just rule will be exercised. One way of exercising justice or bring balance back into humanity is by taking care of the least of the brethren. Every time when one cares for the least of the brethren the he works towards justice.