1. Give us this day our daily bread!

2. 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.

3. Eventually the show aired on American TV
But when it did, something rather telling… perhaps even prophetic took place.

4. After each segment, as you might expect, commercials were aired
After each segment, as you might expect, commercials were aired. For example, after the segment on…
Leprosy
Swimwear

5. After the segment on…
Starvation
Designer Jeans

6. After the segment on…
Fur Coats
Poverty

7. After the segment on…
Ice Cream Sundaes
Abandoned Babies

8. And after the segment on…
Diamond Watches
The Dying

9. A bit contradictory, don’t you think?
(It kind of makes you wonder what in the world the show’s producers were thinking!!)

10. “Give us this day our daily bread.”
Well, here’s a question for you:
What are YOU thinking when you pray these words…
“Give us this day our daily bread.”

11. Are you thinking about what you need?
Are you thinking about others?
…or just yourself?
Are you thinking about what you need?
…or about what you want?

12. Are you thinking about OUR daily BREAD?
or YOUR daily…
Cake!
Steak!
Banana Split!
Beer!

13. 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.

14. Have you confused the distinction between need and want?

15. Do you think you need this much?
For example, when you think of all the food that is available…
Do you think you need this much?

16. Do you think you need this much?
For example, when you think of all the clothing that is available…
Do you think you need this much?

17. Do you think you need this much?
For example, when you think of all the gadgets & sources of entertainment that are available…
Do you think you need this much?

18. Do you really need any of this?
And when you think of all the other stuff that is available…
Do you really need any of this?

19. 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.

20. And because that’s 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.

21. A slice of bread in America
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

22. 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 6:6-8

23. People from all over the country People from all over the world
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!

24. 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 people’s needs are met!

25. 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 2:15-17

26. 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 25:40

27. 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…

28. Indeed, we become part of God’s answer to that Petition!
We then (and only then) understand the “us” and the “our” of the 4th Petition!
Indeed, we become part of God’s answer to that Petition!

29. 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.

30. 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.

31. 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.

32. Another Mother Teresa story…
“Then give that money to the poor,” she said. “You’ll learn more from that than anything I can tell you.”

33. Give us this day our daily bread!
When it comes right down to it, this is more than just a petition…
…it’s a whole new way of thinking and a whole new way of living!

34. Give us this day our daily bread!
May God start answering this petition in your life… right now!

35. Give us this day our daily bread!