The Catholic Calendar for Wednesday, October 5, 2005
Wednesday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Jonah 4:1-11
Psalm 86:3-6, 9-10
Luke 11:1-4

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

Poor Jonah! Life was so hard for him that he was praying to die. Sometimes when things aren't going our own way, or are just plain difficult, we wonder how to pray. The Gospel for today reveals what a wonderful opportunity we have with the prayer we know as the “Our Father.” Christ Himself taught us this prayer at the request of His apostles.

Christ starts His teaching by His own example. The apostles went to Him as He came from praying and asked Him how they were to pray. Often in the Gospels we hear that Christ was seeking a place to pray, or had just come from prayer. Lesson #1 for us: pray, and pray often.

Christ then went on to pray the Our Father. It is a beautiful prayer that is powerful, especially when said slowly and with thought. It is a good source for meditation, even over just one word -- such as the word “Our” at the beginning. For instance: we can reflect how everyone can call God Father, which means we are ALL brothers and sisters! So why are there wars and why are so many children starving?

Today might be a good time to ask ourselves the question "How often am I saying this beautiful prayer, taught to us by Christ Himself, and do I pray it in a slow, thoughtful and meaningful manner?


Our Father


Who art in heaven


hallowed be Thy name!


- Joan of Jesus, OCDS
(jmurphy at utica dot edu)