today's other readings are Sirach 48: 1-14 and Psalm 97
Prayer. It's an essential part of our faith. There are many, many definitions of prayer. Some are quite complex, some are quite simple, like prayer is a conversation with God. Sometimes we forget the fact that if it is a conversation, then we need both to talk AND to listen.
Pat Marrin of NCR shares an important insight about prayer. He begins by asking, "If God already knows what we need, then why pray?" But then comes the truth: "Prayer is not to inform God, but to listen in order to know what we really need."
Jesus knew this too, as He shares with us in the first part of our gospel. And then he gives us the foundational prayer of our faith - the Lord's Prayer.
Don't know what to say, what to pray to God today? Then start with the Lord's Prayer.