Pastoral Letter for First Sunday of Lent: 9 March 2003 (B)

Dear Sisters and Brothers

Just three weeks ago a very special event took place for those in our diocese who will become Catholics this Easter. They had gathered in York to prepare for the last stages of their - often long - journey into the Church, conscious that during Lent they would be entrusted with the 'Our Father' as the model of all their praying, they centred their day around that theme. They gave quite a lot of time, for example, simply to praying the 'Our Father' together, phrase by phrase, pondering its deeper meaning. I like to think that everyone went home that night with those life giving words burning more brightly in their hearts.

Today on this First Sunday of Lent I want to return to the same theme. There are so many riches to be discovered and rediscovered in this greatest of all prayers. For me personally, the 'Our Father' has become more important than ever before. More often than not I spend the whole of my prayer time each day pondering its inner meaning. If time allowed I would love to reflect with you on each part of the 'Our Father', but let me choose just two phrases which always give me new strength.

'Our Father': As the meaning of those words enters little by little into my mind and heart, two things happen. Firstly, I become increasingly aware that God is above all else my Father. He watches over me with infinite care. Beyond any present anguish I might have to endure, his unconditional love will have the last and triumphant word in my life. I have also come to realise more and more that the Father is our Father - not just mine, but ours. Every person, therefore, is in truth my sister or brother. They belong with me, they are part of me. All of which means that when the life of any human being is taken, in war for example, I am robbed of a sister or brother. To pray 'Our Father' cannot help but deepen my awareness that this is but one world, one human family.

'Give us this day our daily bread': Just as bread remains fresh only for the day of its baking so, in this petition, we pray that God will provide all that we need just for today. How different that is from my normal approach to life. My deep human need for security makes me crave enough bread not just for today, but for tomorrow as well. Whereas this prayer points me in a completely different direction. 'Give us this day our daily bread' is a petition to lead me away from over anxiety about the future or the past, and to entrust my life to God just for today. To learn such trust is a very slow process, but it will lead me towards a much greater inner freedom.

'Our Father': 'Give us this day our daily bread': Those then are two of my personal favourites in the prayer entrusted to us by Jesus. But you too, dear sisters and brothers in Christ, will surely find your own special 'stopping places' in the 'Our Father'. Today on this First Sunday of Lent therefore, I invite you to consider again what a great gift the 'Our Father' is to our Christian Community.

Why not make the Lord's Prayer your chosen companion throughout the whole season of Lent? You could, for example, take just one phrase at a time and carry it with you in your mind and heart throughout the day. Such a practice cannot but deepen our awareness that we are indeed the children of God, sons and daughters of our Father in heaven.

Yours devotedly in Christ,

Bishop of Middlesbrough