Gospel (Mt 6,7-15) - At that time, Jesus said to his disciples: «When praying, do not waste words like the pagans: they believe they are heard by words. Therefore do not be like them, because your Father knows what things you need even before you ask him. »You therefore pray like this: 'Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we also forgive our debtors, and do not give us over to temptation, but deliver us from evil.' For if you forgive others their sins, your Father who is in heaven will forgive you also; but if you do not forgive others, not even your Father will forgive your sins."

The commentary on the Gospel by Monsignor Vincenzo Paglia

Jesus urges his disciples not to waste words in prayer. The essence of prayer lies in placing our total trust in God, certain that he will not abandon us and that he will give us what we need. And Jesus teaches that extraordinary prayer which is the Our Father. We could say that the entire prayer is summarized in the first word, "Father", "Abbà" (father). Jesus, by putting this term on our lips, carries out a real religious revolution. Suffice it to say that Jewish tradition prohibits mentioning the name of God. Prayer does not "lower" God to us; rather he lifts us up to the Father "who is in heaven". It is therefore right to ask that his will be done and that his kingdom come soon. The second part of the prayer concerns daily life. Jesus urges us to ask for bread, that of every day, to make us experience first-hand the concreteness of God's love. And it is both the material bread and that of his Word. Two loaves, two tables, indispensable. And both must be served, or rather multiplied for everyone. And then he puts a grave request on our lips: "Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors." Recognizing ourselves as debtors gives us back the true dimension of who we are before God and before our neighbor, and opens our heart to experience the very feelings of God already here on earth.