Daily Gospel Reflection
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February 28, 2023
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.”
In today’s gospel, Jesus shares with his friends the prayer his own Father taught him. As I meditate on these familiar words, I am struck by the simultaneous intimacy and universality contained within.
I imagine Jesus gathered with his disciples in a quiet, set-apart space. As Jesus looks around at his friends, he sees a group of imperfect yet beloved sinners seeking to follow their shepherd. Jesus chooses this moment to share the fruits of his prayer. Perhaps he first recited these words in his parents’ company or his earliest days of ministry. He now shares aloud an invitation to intimacy with God as our Father. “Your Father knows what you need before you ask him,” says Jesus. Our Father knows our deepest needs and desires more honestly than we do.
We may find ourselves “babbling like the pagans”, speaking unnecessarily or inauthentically in gossip or complaint. Or, we may struggle to quiet our minds to listen to our Father in prayer. Jesus has seen and lived these universal human tendencies and cautions us to follow his example.
Today, let us rest in these words spoken by the Son of God and friend of sinners, trusting that Abba, our Father, knows what we need even before we ask.
Prayer
Our father in heaven, you are infinitely forgiving and merciful. Help us to live lives of forgiveness that your name may be hallowed throughout all the earth. Grant this through your son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.
Saint of the Day
St. Hilary was pope for seven years in the fifth century and was known for safeguarding Church unity in a time of great disagreement.
He was born in Italy and served as an aide to Pope Leo I, who preceded him as pope and sent him on many official assignments. One of those assignments was to attend a council that was held in Ephesus without official approval. His task was to report on a heresy being discussed there—the denial of Christ’s humanity. This heresy was already condemned by an earlier council, and the followers of this erroneous belief physically attacked Hilary and his delegation. They barely escaped and returned to Rome.
When Pope Leo died, Hilary was elected bishop of Rome. As pope, he did much to strengthen the Church, especially in France and Spain. He was known for defending the rights of bishops, while urging them to greater faithfulness and less luxury. He established the pope, not the emperor, as the leader in spiritual matters, and rebuilt many churches in Rome, renovated the Lateran Basilica, and constructed a number of convents and libraries. He died on this date in 468, and his image is used here with permission from Catholic.org.
St. Hilary, the pope who helped build the Church and fought for unity—pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Hilary is available for use under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. Last accessed December 6, 2024 on Wikimedia Commons.
