TODAY’S WORD…

Jesus said, “But you, when you pray, enter into your inner room, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”

– Matthew 6:6REFLECTION…

By saying “you” (in the Aramaic singular) our Lord indicates, quite unequivocally, the need for personal prayer – like a child to the Father – alone with God.

“When you pray, enter into your inner room, and having shut your door, pray to your Father.”  Public prayer, which is when we, the faithful, assemble together, is something necessary and holy; but it should never displace obedience to this clear commandment of our Lord.

“…and your Father…will reward you openly.”  We pray in secret, we open our hearts to God, in private, and the Father rewards us openly, through the joy and peace with which He fills our hearts – an interior serenity, yet visible to all.

PRAYER…

Father,

You know what I need before I even ask,

yet still You want me to come to You and open my heart to You.

Heavenly Father, You know me inside out

– my strengths and my weaknesses;

You know all that I truly need,

all that will serve Your divine purpose for me.

Father,

grant me the yearning that a loving child has for a doting parent,

and let me always make the time to come to You,

in my inner room,

and to pray to You in secret.

Amen.