Junior School Reflection | Matthew 6: 7 - 15, 1st Tuesday of Lent, 2026, Year B
We have just
heard a short reading from Matthew’s Gospel. The text we heard is a lesson on
how to pray. Jesus prayed when he was on earth, and in this Gospel he teaches
his friends how he speaks to God his Father.
How many of you
pray each day? It’s okay if you don’t, or if you haven’t started yet. Perhaps
some of you would like to begin. Perhaps some of you want to pray but simply
don’t know how.
In today’s
reading, Jesus shows us that prayer does not have to be complicated. When we
pray, we speak to God in the same way we speak to our parents, and of course to
our teachers. When we go to our parents or teachers, we usually go because we
need help. We speak plainly. We say what we need.
Last week I met
a wonderful young boy in Grade Five. I could see he wasn’t making progress with
his classwork. After introducing myself, I asked why he hadn’t made a start on
the activity. He said, very simply, “I don’t know what I’m doing. Can
you help me please?”
There was
nothing complicated about that. It was honest. Direct. From the heart.
That is how
Jesus teaches us to pray.
When we talk to
God, we do not need big words or perfect sentences. We keep it simple. We speak
honestly. We ask for help when we need it.
In this Gospel
passage, Jesus teaches his followers the Lord’s Prayer. The Lord’s Prayer
is made up of seven parts.
The first is: Our
Father in heaven, holy be your name.
This is a prayer of faith. It expresses what we believe. We acknowledge who God
is and we respect his name never using it carelessly or as a swear word.
The second is: Your
kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
When we say this, we acknowledge that God is not distant or unreachable. We ask
that his goodness be seen in the way we live and treat one another. Jesus came
to tell us about this kingdom. Whenever we see people doing good actions or
speaking kind words, they are bringing that kingdom into the present. They are
showing us something greater.
The third is: Give
us this day our daily bread.
Jesus is not telling us to ask for Tip Top or Bakers Delight bread. Rather, he is teaching us
to ask for what we need each day to live well as good and faithful citizens
of the world and students at school. If you are finding it hard to be kind, ask
for the power of kindness. If you are tempted to lie, ask for the strength to
be truthful. Yes, we have physical needs and can pray for them, but we are also
spiritual beings. Jesus teaches us to ask for spiritual food.
Next, Jesus
tells us to seek God’s forgiveness, but there is a condition. To receive God’s
mercy, we must also be willing to forgive others. We must be open to accepting
apologies and letting go of resentment. This helps us mature spiritually and
become more like God, who is also forgiving.
The final part
is: Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Here, Jesus teaches us to ask God to help us make good choices. Every day we
face decisions. When we choose what is right, we help make God’s kingdom known
on earth. Good choices bring peace and fulfillment, the very things we long
for. And when we choose truth and goodness more often, we find ourselves
needing to say sorry less often.
That is what
this Gospel is about.
How to pray.
We pray as Jesus prayed: simply, honestly, from the heart, asking for what we need to become better citizens in the world.
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