Much has been written and preached about the prayer
Jesus taught His disciples in today's Gospel (Luke
11:1-13). But perhaps a story will help unfold for us
the true meaning of the "Our Father."
One day a country priest was visiting his parishioners in the mountains of
France. While travelling on an isolated stretch of road, he happened to see a
young shepherd boy tending the sheep on the hillside. Struck with the boy's devout
and recollected appearance, the priest stopped to speak with him. "You
must feel very lonely all day here by yourself."
"Oh, no, father," the little boy said, "I am not at all lonely, for I always have
something to do." "And what do you do?" asked the priest. "I have a beautiful
prayer that I say," replied the shepherd boy, it is a very short one, and yet I can
never get to the end of it." "What do you mean?" the priest asked. "I try to pray
the Our Father," answered the boy, "but when I say the first words, 'Our Father,'
I come to a stop and can get no further."
"Why so?" asked the priest. "Because I cannot help crying," replied the boy.
"When I say those words, I think to myself, is it possible that I have God for my
Father? God, who made that beautiful sky, that bright sun, those lofty mountains,
and all the universe!? And yet, I know that it is true. God allows me, a
poor shepherd boy, to call Him by the name 'Father.' And God, on His part,
loves and cherishes me as if I were God's only child. And so, when I think of
all this, I begin to weep, and I cannot get on with my prayer."
"Look over there," the boy continued, pointing his finger across the valley, "see,
there is the little village where I live. It is very small, and has only a few poor
cottages. My family is the poorest of all. And yet, I can call God my Father as
truly, and be as much loved by Him, as if I were the most important person in
Paris. I am just as much a child of God. That is what makes me weep, and keeps
me from finishing my prayer."
"No matter," replied the priest, much moved, "do as you have been doing, and
God will continue to love and bless you." And the smiling priest went on his
way, praising Almighty God, who has hidden the mysteries of His goodness
from the proud and the worldly wise, and has revealed them to His chosen little
ones (cf. Matthew 11:25).
I have long since lost the reference for this story. But I'm grateful to the person
who wrote it so that I may share it with you. May it be a source of reflection
and inspiration to you as it has been for me.
Msgr. Helmut Hefner