My dear Parishioners,
Peace! There are nineteen (19) In Brief articles in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which treat the Lord’s Prayer or “Our Father.” The following reflection considers CCC, 2801.
The Lord’s Prayer is proper to Christians and the new covenant as established and entrusted to us by Jesus Christ Himself (cf. Matthew 6:9-13; 26:28; Luke 11:2-4). We are made adopted children of God our Father through the saving waters of Baptism, waters made holy by the invocation of the Holy Spirit who enables us to cry out both Abba, Father and Jesus is Lord (cf. Romans 8:15, 23; Ephesians 1:5; Galatians 4:5-6; 1 Corinthians 12:3). We enter into the new and everlasting covenant by Baptism. The Greek term adelphotes is translated as brotherhood to which all of the faithful belong through Baptism in conjunction with the praying of the Lord’s Prayer for the first time as Christians. The Lord’s Prayer marks us as brothers and sisters to each other and to Christ.
The Lord’s Prayer makes manifest not only our communion with each other as members of the mystical body of Christ the Church, but with God the Holy Trinity, the eternal communion of persons, Father, Son, and Spirit (cf. Romans 12:5; 1 Corinthians 10:17; 12:12-13; Ephesians 4:4; Colossians 3:15). The communion of the Church is further expressed in the Lord’s Prayer when we say “our Father” not “my Father” or “your Father.” The praying of the Lord’s Prayer reinforces and strengthens our love of the brotherhood we have in the Church, love for God and neighbor (cf. Matthew 22:39; Mark 12:30-31; 1 Peter 2:17).
Mother Church prays the Lord’s Prayer extending Divine Charity to the entire world. After His glorious resurrection the Lord Jesus gave the ‘great commission’ go ye therefore, and teach all nations… teach them to observe all that I have commanded you (cf. Matthew 28:19-20). The Lord’s Prayer is a part of what the Lord Jesus has taught and commanded. Our faithfulness to prayer continues His saving and teaching mission until He returns in glory to judge the living and the dead at the end of the ages. The Divine Charity extended by the Lord’s Prayer is explicated by Saint Paul in 1 Corinthians 13:4-13: God has shown and does show us patience and kindness. God does call us to rejoice at the good of our neighbor. The Lord Jesus has humbled Himself, becoming like us in all things but sin to save us (Philippians 2:8). The Lord Jesus, who has given us the Lord’s Prayer is the way, the truth and the life, has bore all our sins upon Calvary’s Cross (cf. Isaiah 53:5; John 14:6). Our hope is in Him and His promises (cf. Psalm 130:7; Isaiah 40:31). With His grace we too can endure all things. The Lord gives us His grace in answer to our humble prayers (cf. James 4:6). By using the words of the Lord Jesus’ prayer we humble ourselves.
God bless you!
Father John Arthur Orr