Jesus teaches us how to pray (Mt. 6:7-15). Prayer is more about the state of the heart towards our Father than the length of time or the number of words. If our hearts are right with God, we will cultivate the habit of consciously practicing an awareness of His presence throughout the journey of our lives.

Every line of the 'Our Father' can be taken and used as a source of silent meditation. Asking the Lord to "forgive us of our sins as we forgive those who sin against us" (Mt. 6:12) is not easy, but can be done by His grace. Forgiving has to be paired with healing. We can only exercise true forgiveness when we ask the Lord to heal the memories and experiences that have caused pain and suffering.

Lord Jesus, pour Your healing love and mercy upon me, so that I may be empowered to forgive, even as I experience Your healing power in my mind and heart. Amen.

READINGS http://usccb.org/bible/readings/022018.cfm