OUR DAILY BREAD

PRAYER MOMENT                      

Wednesday 8 October 2014.

OUR DAILY BREAD

Pause. Be still in God’s presence.

Reading: “Give us each day our daily bread.” (Luke 11:1-4)

Reflection. There is some uncertainty what the original language meant by the words normally translated as “daily bread.” It certainly did not mean just our daily food although it included that. It had the wider meaning of expressing all that we need for our daily life. So it could include all of Maslow’s ‘basic needs’, - for food, shelter, clothing, work, dignity, freedom and so forth. And it could also include our need for stretching ourselves by accepting challenges we encounter along the way and working through these no matter what the difficulties. So, if we were to sum up, the words probably mean, “give us each day all that we need to grow as human being into your divine likeness.” That is rather a mouthful so it is easier and much more poetic to say, ‘our daily bread’. Yet it is good to be aware of the wider meaning and recognise the difference between ‘need’ and ‘want’. The Father will not give us all that we want – because what we want may not be good for us. He will give us all that we need, if we pray for it.  

Prayer. Lord Jesus, teach us to pray to be conformed to the Father’s will in all things. We believe that in so doing we will achieve our real happiness. Amen..  

David Harold-Barry SJ