OUR FATHER -- JOHN NEVER THOUGHT OF THAT!

Yesterday, Sunday, July 28, we heard something daring coming from the disciples of Jesus, well, one disciple anyway.  He dared to compare Jesus to John the Baptist.  He said, "Teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples."  This fellow dodged a bullet...or rather, he was blessed that bullets had not yet been invented. Jesus, placidly did not react to the comparison that the disciple made between Jesus and John.  Instead Luke just passes the center of focus on to Jesus who, as it happens does not teach his disciples to pray in the way that John had taught them to pray. Those of them who had been disciples of John had never heard what Jesus brought to them at that moment.  His first word, "Father" was the miraculous moment in the lives of the disciples of the Son of God when they became God's sons as well.  Nobody before that time had ever addressed God as "Father.  Not even John.  This, brothers and sisters is what Jesus taught His disciples and us about prayer.  It is the privilege that we have to address God Himself and to call Him Father.  The disciples received more that day than what they expected, and perhaps even more than they could fully understand at the moment, and even for a long, long time.  Our Mother,
weeping at La Salette, reminded us of
that miracle by instructing us to say, at least twice every day, Our Father.

Mary at La Salette:
"Do you say your prayers well, my children?"
"No, Madam."
"Ah, my children, you must pray every morning and every night.  You must say an 'Our Father' and a 'Hail Mary' at least.  When you have time, say more."