主教導我們禱告
馬太福音六章5至14節
5你們禱告的時候，不可像那假冒為善的人，愛站在會堂裡和十字路口上禱告，故意叫人看見。我實在告訴你們，他們已經得了他們的賞賜。
6你禱告的時候，要進你的內屋，關上門，禱告你在暗中的父；你父在暗中察看，必然報答你。
7你們禱告，不可像外邦人，用許多重複話，他們以為話多了必蒙垂聽。
8你們不可效法他們；因為你們沒有祈求以先，你們所需用的，你們的父早已知道了。
9所以，你們禱告要這樣說：我們在天上的父：願人都尊你的名為聖。
10願你的國降臨；願你的旨意行在地上，如同行在天上。
11我們日用的飲食，今日賜給我們。
12免我們的債，如同我們免了人的債。
13不叫我們遇見試探；救我們脫離兇惡（或作：脫離惡者）。因為國度、權柄、榮耀，全是你的，直到永遠。阿們（有古卷沒有因為……阿們等字）！
14你們饒恕人的過犯，你們的天父也必饒恕你們的過犯；
信息分享
主答應他們的要求，為他們提供了一個禱告的模式和指引。我們稱它為「主禱文」，但它其實並非主自己的禱文，因為祂無須求神赦罪。我們才需要求神赦罪，但耶穌根本沒有犯罪，所以不用祈求赦罪。
因此，這是我們要學習和跟隨的禱告；但我們卻不能不加思考地只懂得唸唸有詞，便以為自己已按教導禱告。這是一個明確的禱告指引。我們禱告的時候，即使是祈求神供應我們所需，也必須懷著赤誠、感恩之心向我們的天父禱告。
我們可以在馬太福音，看見主教門徒禱告的背景。按照基督的教導，我們禱告的時候要留意以下幾點：
1. 真誠（太六5）：每個人都可能出現虛偽。我們是發乎內心的祈禱，還是想別人看見我們禱告是多麼虔誠？基督教導我們，禱告必須發乎真誠。
2. 簡潔（太六7）：我們要弄清楚的是，基督並非說我們不要重重覆覆地不斷祈求，因為祂在客西馬尼園也是重覆地向神祈求。此外，祂也不是說我們不要長時間祈禱，因為祂本人也曾徹夜禱告。反之，基督乃是教導我們，不要用空洞和無意義的話來不斷重覆禱告，以為禱告多了，神就會垂聽。我們要學習真誠和簡單清晰地禱告。
3. 學習主所提供的範例：基督為我們提供了一個禱告的範例和指引，當中教導了我們許多重要原則。但最首要的，是我們要記著，我們禱告的時候是跟我們的天父交談。請再讀禱文一遍，留意當中的重點和祈求的事項，它們正是我們每次禱告都應包括的重點，也是天父期望聽見的禱告。
THE PRAYER OUR LORD GAVE US
Matthew 6:5-14
5 “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you,
they have their reward.
6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
8 “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.
9 In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
Message
Our Lord responded by giving them a pattern, a guide for their prayers. We call this "The Lord's Prayer". But it is not really the "Lord's". For example, this prayer asks for forgiveness of sin. That is one matter about which we often need to pray but Jesus Christ never needed to do so.
Therefore, it is our prayer, yet it is not a prayer which we should repeat over and over without thinking. It was given as a definite guide for all our praying. Our prayers should be the grateful opening of our hearts to our Heavenly Father, even if we are asking Him to supply our needs.
The background of this model prayer is given to us in Matthew's Gospel. In speaking about our praying Christ said that our prayers should be:
1. Sincere (Mt 6:5). The danger of hypocrisy is always present with all of us. As we pray, are we praying out of a deep sense of need? Or are we merely wanting someone else to see how well we can pray? Christ told us to be sincere when we pray.
2. Simple (Mt 6:7). It is not merely repeating our requests that Christ is objecting to. He repeated His own requests in Gethsemane several times. Nor does He mean we should not have long periods of prayer. He himself spent whole nights in prayer.
What Christ was warning us about is the empty and meaningless repetition of words which, because of their great number, are supposed to count with God. In our praying, let us be sincere and simple.
3. Sample. Then Christ gave a sample prayer - a model, a guide for our praying. It teaches us so many aspects of prayer. Most of all when we pray, remember we are talking with our Father. Read the prayer again. Notice those points and the requests which this model prayer covers. These are the points which all our prayers should include, and which our Father will be looking for as we pray.