Give us this day our daily bread!

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Give us this day our daily bread!
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A true story
A few years before her death, Mother Teresa was
interviewed for American TV.
She took the film crew on a tour of the work that
she had been doing for so many years in Calcutta,
India.
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Eventually the show aired on American TV
But when it did, something rather telling
perhaps even prophetic took place.
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After each segment, as you might expect,
commercials were aired. For example, after the
segment on
Leprosy
Swimwear
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After the segment on
Starvation
Designer Jeans
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After the segment on
Fur Coats
Poverty
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After the segment on
Ice Cream Sundaes
Abandoned Babies
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And after the segment on
Diamond Watches
The Dying
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A bit contradictory, dont you think?
(It kind of makes you wonder what in the world
the shows producers were thinking!!)
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Well, heres a question for you
What are YOU thinking when you pray these words
Give us this day our daily bread.
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Are you thinking about others?
or just yourself?
Are you thinking about what you need?
or about what you want?
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Are you thinking about OUR daily BREAD?
or YOUR daily
Cake!
Steak!
Banana Split!
Beer!
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The problem is that we can so easily forget the
us of give us, the our of our daily, and
the bread of daily bread.
In other words, we can blur the distinction
between needs and wants and we can ignore the
fact that we are praying that all people have
their needs met.
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Have you confused the distinction between need
and want?
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For example, when you think of all the food that
is available
Do you think you need this much?
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For example, when you think of all the clothing
that is available
Do you think you need this much?
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For example, when you think of all the gadgets
sources of entertainment that are available
Do you think you need this much?
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And when you think of all the other stuff that is
available
Do you really need any of this?
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A lot of these things are nice and all that
But none of them are necessities! They may be
things we want, but they are hardly things we
need.
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And because thats true, when we pray Give us
this day our daily bread these are NOT the
things we ask for.
Instead, we are asking God to supply only that
which we need to sustain the life He has blessed
us with on this earth.
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Even if that ends up only being
A bowl of rice in China
A slice of bread in America
or a lump of ugali in Kenya
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And as we ask God to supply our needs (and not
our wants), we also beseech God to give us the
blessing of contentment.
As St. Paul writes Now there is great gain in
godliness with contentment, for we brought
nothing into the world, and we cannot take
anything out of the world. But if we have food
and clothing, with these we will be content. 1
Timothy 66-8
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And then there is this
As we pray Give us this day our daily bread we
do so mindful of who is included when we say us
and our
Our families
People from all over the country
People from all over the world
Our neighbors
Our co-workers, classmates friends
And especially the poor!
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And not only do we pray for their bread to be
provided
We make sure that we are part of the answer to
that petition, using the blessings God has given
us to make sure other peoples needs are met!
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Remember what James said
If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and
lacking daily food and one of you says to them,
Go in peace, be warmed and filled, without
giving them the things needed for the body, what
good is that? So also faith by itself, if it
does not have works, is dead! James 215-17
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And remember what Jesus says
Truly I say to you, whatever you did to one of
the least of these brothers or sisters of mine,
you did unto me. Matthew 2540
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When we reach out to the poor and help them in
their needs When we share with those who are
less fortunate When we make sure that the basic
necessities are being received by those who
cannot gain them for themselves
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We then (and only then) understand the us and
the our of the 4th Petition!
Indeed, we become part of Gods answer to that
Petition!
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Another Mother Teresa story
Mother Teresa visited Australia. A new recruit to
the Franciscan order in Australia was assigned to
be her guide and gofer during her stay.
Thrilled and excited at the prospect of being so
close to this woman, he dreamed of how much he
would learn from her and what they would talk
about.
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Another Mother Teresa story
But during her visit, he became frustrated.
Although he was constantly near her, the friar
never had the opportunity to say one word to
Mother Teresa. There were always other people for
her to meet. Finally, her tour was over, and she
was due to fly to New Guinea.
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Another Mother Teresa story
In desperation, the friar spoke to Mother Teresa.
If I pay my own fare to New Guinea, can I sit
next to you on the plane so I can talk to you and
learn from you? Mother Teresa looked at him.
You have enough money to pay airfare to New
Guinea? she asked. Oh, yes, he replied eagerly.
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Another Mother Teresa story
Then give that money to the poor, she said.
Youll learn more from that than anything I can
tell you.
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Give us this day our daily bread!
When it comes right down to it, this is more than
just a petition
its a whole new way of thinking and a whole new
way of living!
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Give us this day our daily bread!
May God start answering this petition in your
life right now!
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Give us this day our daily bread!