In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, there is an entire section of teaching about the prayer that Jesus taught us, the Our Father (Catechism, 2759-2865). The extensive treatment in the Catechism teaches that there is an important order in the sequence of each clause in the Our Father. "The Lord's Prayer is the most perfect of prayers...In it we ask, not only for all the things we can rightly desire, but also in the sequence that they should be desired" (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2763).
The prayer begins with the recognition that the heavenly, almighty God is actually our Father (Mt 6:9). The prayer also begins with praise of the heavenly Father, hallowing His name and acknowledging His greatness; nonetheless, we radically recognize Him as our loving Father, even our "Abba," our Daddy (Mt 6:9; Rm 8:15; Gal 4:6).
The Our Father approaches God with radical boldness (Catechism, 2777), assuming that God loves us so deeply that He will listen to us and answer our prayers. The prayer is communal, asking for "us" rather than for "me" (Mt 6:11). The prayer underscores that we do not pray alone, but as part of a faith-filled community of believers. As Jesus taught us, dare to pray the Our Father with boldness, trust, and confidence.
| PRAYER: | "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name�" (Mt 6:9). |
| PROMISE: | "Great are the works of the Lord, exquisite in all their delights." –Ps 111:2 |
| PRAISE: | St. Paulinus sold his property for the benefit of the poor. He served as bishop for several decades. |
Reprinted with permission from Presentation Ministries, a lay association of the Catholic Church that focuses on evangelization and discipleship through Bible teaching, daily Mass, the charisms of the Holy Spirit, and Small Christian Community. Their ministries include:
· One Bread, One Body
· Daily Bread Radio Program
· Annual Bible Institute
· Discipleship Retreats
· Guadalupe Bible College