Some have called today’s gospel a catechism on prayer – it is a foundational prayer referred to as the “Lord’s Prayer” with two stories that emphasize the need for perseverance in prayer. It is the one prayer that all Christian groups have in common. When the disciples request Jesus to teach them to pray, it didn’t come out of the blue. Jesus was praying and they undoubtedly noticed the connection between Jesus’ powerful impact on others and his life of prayer.
The ultimate act of discipleship is to want to emulate the Master and there was not a more important way than by praying as he did. So not being a “do as I say” person but “do as I do” person, without hesitation Jesus shares his own personal prayer. But when Luke gives the words of Jesus at prayer, he is shown addressing his prayer to “Abba” (“Father”). It was a traditional term a child would use when addressing his or her father. It is a prayer in marked contrast to that of the Pharisee who spoke this prayer to himself: “O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity – greedy, dishonest, adulterous – or even like this tax collector… I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.” (Lk18: 11, 13).
More than likely we have had the experience of fear-based leadership. Perhaps a boss, parent, coach, teacher, or bully created an environment where we found ourselves operating primarily out of fear: fear of making the slightest mistake and being punished, of getting on the boss’s wrong side and being ostracized, or of constantly being judged and found unworthy. These experiences have lasting effects on us, teaching us to anticipate punishment, blame others, and become overcritical of ourselves. Our fears and anxieties then often slide into other areas of our lives, including our journey of faith and the ways we picture God. Without realizing it, we can slip into believing that God is like an angry boss dead set on punishing us, making our Christian life much like a fear-based work environment.
Whereas in Jesus’ life, he was drawn to prayer by the sense of intimacy and communion. This is seen from the first appearance of the adult Jesus that shows him praying after his baptism and the last act of his earthly life when he is praying to his Father from the cross. Clearly, prayer sets the context – from the beginning and end – for his life and ministry. Prayer is not an occasional event but a regular part of his life. We hear his endearing, tender words at some very frightening times in his life: “Father, take this cup…” (22:42); “Father, forgive them…” (23:34); “Father, into your hands…” (23:46).
Jesus’ personal prayer that he shares with his disciples is not fear-based. He wants his disciples to know “Abba”, an intimacy that is a very close and personal relationship. Jesus tells the disciples of the Father and what the Father desires his disciples to pray for. The Father’s name is to be kept holy, undefiled by any evil. The holiness of God is a central theme in the Hebrew Bible, as the prophet Isaiah proclaims: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts!” (Is 6:3). It means God’s name is not to be taken in vain.
In petitioning for the Father’s kingdom, it is that the kingdom may be effective in the world community. His reign transcends all boundaries between the righteous and sinners, rich and poor, male and female, the clean and unclean. Jesus goes on in the gospel passage to explain that real prayer has certain characteristics: effective prayer requires persistence, ask, seek, knock; only the good is given us. The most astounding good that can be asked for is the Holy Spirit, a Person of the Trinity! All the verbs in the petitions in the Lord’ Prayer are given in the present imperative. In effect they are demands! This boldness is the identity Jesus wishes to impart to his disciples. The arrival of God’s kingdom is being proclaimed but it is in the present. It is already at hand (10:9,11)!
Our petitions, in the very act of asking, are already a demonstration of total dependence on the goodness of God. We are assured that the God of Jesus Christ will grant us far more than we request. What we really wish to emulate in Jesus is this communion with God as an abiding presence!