Ecclesiasticus 48:1-14 / Matthew 6:7-15
If we were asked to name a few great figures of the Old Testament, the prophet Elijah would probably come up as one of them.
Elijah was connected to at least two spectacular events - at Mt. Carmel he called down fire from heaven to consume the sacrifice, and he was taken up to heaven in a whirlwind of fire in a chariot of fiery horses.
Also in the Transfiguration of Jesus, Elijah with Moses appeared with Jesus, and they were the only two figures from the Old Testament that appeared in the gospels.
Yes, the prophet Elijah was a great figure in the Old Testament, and the 1st reading paid tribute to him.
Yet, he also had his moments of fear and darkness. He had to run and hide from Jezebel, king Ahab's wife, for killing the 450 prophets of the idol Baal.
So for all the wonderful signs and marvellous miracles that he worked, he was only a man, and he himself knew it.
So as much as Elijah was known for his greatness, he was also known for his humility and weakness and he depended on the strength of the Lord to fulfil his mission.
Hence, to pray the prayer that our Lord Jesus taught us in the gospels, we are also expressing our humility and trust in the God our Father.
When we pray the Lord's Prayer, we also need to acknowledge our weakness, in that we are sinners in need of mercy and forgiveness.
In praying the Lord's Prayer, we also must be humble and to forgive others as we ask for forgiveness for ourselves.