Theme for the First Week  of Lent
Theme: Lord God, by your Word fill me with a spirit of repentance and forgiveness.

– Reading for Monday of the First Week of Lent

Matthew 6:5-15

⁵ “And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. ⁶ But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

⁷ “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. ⁸ Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

⁹ “Pray, then, in this way:

Our Father in heaven,
    may your name be revered as holy.
¹⁰     May your kingdom come.
    May your will be done
        on earth as it is in heaven.
¹¹     Give us today our daily bread.
¹²     And forgive us our debts,
        as we also have forgiven our debtors.
¹³     And do not bring us to the time of trial,
        but rescue us from the evil one.

¹⁴ “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, ¹⁵ but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

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