It is 12th March 2019. The readings are from Isaiah 55:10-11; and the Gospel from Matthew 6:7-15. Reading and reflecting the Word of God is the prayer God wants us for our life to be blessed during the Lent. None of us read and reflect the God’s Word as much as need. Most of us never even have the need and the time to ponder the Word of God. The Catechism firm teaches us in CCC133 “The Church “forcefully and specifically exhorts all the Christian faithful. . . to learn the surpassing knowledge of Jesus Christ, by frequent reading of the divine Scriptures. Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ.” Sacred Scripture is the food for the soul. How long are we going to make souls go hungry while spending all our resources only for that which is perishing in time? In the first reading, we are taught that God’s Word is the rain that soaks and cleanses our hearts and life. Whatever is our barrenness and fruitlessly sinful life we may lead, yet the Word of God cannot return without its impact on us. The Scripture offers all possibilities to reach and to comprehend the mysterious of God. A quality time of reading the Word of God during the Lent is the prayer we all require. Reading the Word of God reflectively is also the penance that disciplines our souls and it is the charity we do to our being. Without prayerful reading of the Word, we will never know the will, the plan and the promises of God. There is a high possibility that we are turning our souls into a parched desert without providing the God’s Word. Lenten season is the rainy season for our souls when we soak our souls with the Sacred Scripture. The Lord’s prayer is the fundamental Christian prayer entrusted to the Church and to all Christians. The Catechism clarifies in CCC 2759: “St. Luke presents a brief text of five petitions, while St. Matthew gives a more developed version of seven petitions. The liturgical tradition of the Church has retained St. Matthew’s text” which is today’s Gospel.” Jesus himself taught this prayer to His disciples to pray. Lord’s prayer is the compendium of the entire Gospel. The prayer cannot be complete if we have not raised the seven petitions of the Lord for our spiritual welfare and blessings. God the Father is delighted and more than willing to listen when we use the Words of the Son of God, Jesus. Our prayers need to be specific, precise, not wordy. The mother and model of all prayers is the Our Father that is so efficacious when we have a solid foundation of forgiveness. It is the only prayer that expresses the whole life of Jesus, His mission and His identity, and His attitude towards God and life. How often do we use the Lord’s Prayer in our lives? May the Lord help us to use God’s Word to receive all the blessings. May you have a good day.