Daily Gospel Reflection
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June 18, 2020
Jesus said to his disciples, “When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
“Pray then in this way:
‘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.’
“For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
I’ve recognized for some time now that I need to make it a priority to carve out time for a daily prayer life. Learning to define what that meant was more complex than I thought it would be. There is a broad range of prayer that can shape our days and our lives.
Reading this FaithND Daily Gospel Reflection email as well as those from other evangelization ministries; attending Mass; saying the rosary; sitting in reflective silence; offering up a prayer when doing a tedious task as a way of turning it over to God; saying a Hail Mary when the sounds of an ambulance siren are near; keeping a journal of the names of those individuals for whom someone asked me to pray; saying out loud the things I’m grateful for during the day so my children learn to offer their gratitude to God; reading books on the faith to grow in directions I would not be taken otherwise—these are all forms of prayer.
When I read this Gospel passage, I think about the humility required to deepen one’s prayer life. While form has an important place in prayer, it should not be prioritized over substance. It is so easy in our busy days to want to check things off the list—and at times I admit I’ve squeezed in my daily prayers so I can “accomplish” what I need to get done that day. Really connecting with God through prayer is about opening our hearts, not reciting words.
When we pray the Our Father, are we hearing what God calls us to do? The Father knows what we need, even in times when we do not. God is our daily bread. Our prayer life should be two-way communication that lets God into our days and shapes us with mercy. The habits and words of our prayer then take on transformative power.
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. Gregory Barbarigo had all the skills for a successful life in politics, but instead dedicated himself to serving the Church.
He was born in 1625, the son of a senator from Venice, Italy. He was a brilliant student, well-educated, and took on the life of a diplomat with his well-connected family. He accompanied the Venetian ambassador to several important negotiations and traveled extensively.
After five years with the ambassador, he returned to Italy to continue his studies and to enter the world of politics. He soon became disillusioned by the political world, however, and sought advice from a cardinal he had met in his travels. Gregory was thinking of becoming a hermit, but the cardinal advised him to pursue his doctorate in law, then become a priest.
Ten years later, Gregory had earned a doctorate in both civil and canon law and was ordained a priest. His skills were valuable to the Church and he soon was named a bishop, and then cardinal.
He was given responsibility for the diocese in Padua, Italy, and he led the Church there with wisdom. He reorganized and enlarged seminaries in his region, adding a library and a printing press, and worked hard to carry out the reforms that the Church was encouraging at the time.
St. Gregory died on this date in 1697. His relics rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica.
St. Gregory Barbarigo, you were a strong leader who gave up your life in politics to serve the Church—pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Gregory Barbarigo is in the public domain. Last accessed March 18, 2025 on Wikimedia Commons.
