Praying with simplicity

Today's Gospel from Matthew 6:7-15 has Jesus teaching the disciples how to pray. He gives them the "Our Father" as the perfect prayer.

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread;
and forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors,
and do not subject us to the final test,
but deliver us from the evil one.


It is a prayer that is so simple, but encompasses all of our needs. I think that sometimes when we pray we feel we need to use elaborate words and repeat our requests over and over. God invites us to bring our needs to him simply and directly. God knows what we need before we ask.