Lord's Prayer

Jesus said to his disciples “When you pray, say ‘Father, hallowed be your name. Your Kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial’” (Luke 11:2-4).

            Some time ago I was offering Prayers at a Funeral Home. Shortly after I began, it became obvious most of those present were not interested in what I was doing. Only a few people knew the responses. Many looked at their cell phones or stared off into space as I preached. Yet, when I started the “Our Father” everyone joined in the Prayer. Clearly, there was something about the Lord’s Prayer which resonated even with people who were marginally Religious.

            In this passage from Luke, Jesus teaches his Disciples the most important Prayer in the Christian Spiritual Tradition: the Our Father. By doing so, he provides them with a crucial lesson about Prayer in their lives.

            Within the Hebrew Scriptures/Old Testament, Formal and Informal Prayer was a central part of daily life for Jews. Formal Prayers marked the opening and closing of every day. On the Sabbath, Jews offered special Prayers in the: home; Synagogue; or Temple. Major feasts such as Passover had their own set of established Prayers, frequently taken from the Old Testament. For personal or specific needs, the people offered Informal Prayers. These Prayers reflected a Belief God heard Human petitions and responded to them. They also trusted in certain Divine qualities. As revealed in Genesis, Abraham’s intercession on behalf of Sodom assumed God’s mind could remain open to other possibilities. It also implied Divine Justice avoided the punishment of the Righteous with the wicked. Jesus expanded on these principles in the Lord’s Prayer. God was a Father whose holy name and Kingdom were open to all individuals. His concern for the Material needs of his children (like bread) and their Spiritual ones (such as Forgiveness) demonstrated his openness and responsiveness to Human supplications. His Justice required the practice of mercy toward others from those who received it from God. In addition, Divine Assistance protected one during times of trial. In his lessons after the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus emphasized the importance of persistence in Prayer which implied God’s Providence, even when delayed, always arrived and exceeded Human expectations. Clearly, Christ illustrated Prayer kept Disciples connected to God in every situation they faced in life.

            Christ’s Teaching of the Lord’s Prayer highlights how it can bring a person in almost any situation closer to God. Our Society’s efforts to make Religion a private matter frequently causes Christians to feel isolated from one another. The “Our Father” reminds them they remain part of a Community. In a world where power is identified with money, connections or force, Christians often think they have no influence on it. The Lord’s Prayer is a reminder they are the precursors of God’s final triumph on earth. Within a Society which views individualism and self-sufficiency as the way to attain Material security, Christians may be tempted to look out for themselves first. The “Our Father” is a reminder trusting in Divine Providence yields much better results. Living in a world which sees the need for forgiveness as a sign of weakness, Christians may be tempted to deny their sinfulness. The Lord’s Prayer reminds them of their need for God’s forgiveness and to extend mercy to others. This ability to connect with the lived experience of so many people makes this Prayer a core element in the Spiritual Life of all Christians.

                By meditating on the words of the “Our Father” Catholics can deepen their appreciation of this Prayer. Prayer is meant to connect us with God. It involves offering up whatever a person is experiencing at that moment. Meditation on the words of the Lord’s Prayer can help one place that experience into a proper context. After coming to a decision about something, reflecting on the words “your will be done” helps determine whether it fits into God’s plan. Upon recognizing a need, pondering on the words “Give us this day our daily bread” reminds us of the source of all we need. When dealing with a difficult person, contemplating the words “forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us” recalls the standard by which we obtain God’s forgiveness.

Such meditation enables us to make God a greater part of our daily lives. Let how we pray the “Our Father” demonstrate our ability to appreciate its Spiritual richness.

            As my experience at the Funeral Home indicated, the Lord’s Prayer still has the ability to reach people who seem disconnected from the Faith. This ability is why it has such an important place in our Catholic Tradition.

July 24, 2022