Thursday 16 June 2022

Today is Thursday the 16th June, in the 11th week of Ordinary Time.

The choir of Holy Sepulchre London, directed by Peter Asprey, sings Otche Nash, a setting of the Lord’s Prayer.

Otche nash, sushchiy na nebesakh,
Da svyatitsya imya Tvoye,
Da priidet Tsarstviye Tvoye,
Da budet volya Tvoya
Tak zhe, kak v nebe i na zemle.
Khleb nash nasushchnyy
day nam na sey den',
I prosti nam dolgi nashi,
Kak i my proshchayem
dolzhnikam nashim.
I ne vvedi nas v iskusheniye,
No izbavi nas ot lukavogo.
Ibo Tvoye yest' Tsarstvo i sila
i slava vo veki.
amin'

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.

Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Matthew.

Matthew 6:7-15

‘When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
‘Pray then in this way:
Our Father 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 have forgiven our debtors.
And do not bring us to the time of trial,
but rescue us from the evil one.
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Today, we encounter Jesus as he teaches his disciples how to pray.

We spend time now with this familiar and loved prayer, given to us from Jesus, so we pray it slowly, with a pause for reflection between each line.

Try to let the prayer move from your head to your heart as you pray through it.

Our Father 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

Forgive us our debts,

As we also have forgiven our debtors.

Do not bring us to the time of trial

but deliver us from the evil one.

As you hear this passage and prayer read through a second time, notice if there’s a particular word or phrase you are stirred to stay with…

What do you most need from the Lord today? Ask him for this now, as you conclude your prayer.


Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.