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Slide Notes
Welcome! This session will talk about one of the most well-known prayers. A familiar prayer that is often taken for granted
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Most of us have known The Lord’s Prayer since we were children. We have prayed it thousands of times. Yet we often take it for granted racing through it without even thinking about the words.
•
Most of us have known The Lord’s Prayer since we were children. We have prayed it thousands of times. Yet we often take it for granted racing through it without even thinking about the words.
Daring the Our Father
Published on Feb 09, 2022
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PRESENTATION OUTLINE
Daring the Our Father
A Deeper Dive into the Lord's Prayer
Welcome! This session will talk about one of the most well-known prayers. A familiar prayer that is often taken for granted
•
Most of us have known The Lord’s Prayer since we were children. We have prayed it thousands of times. Yet we often take it for granted racing through it without even thinking about the words.
•
Most of us have known The Lord’s Prayer since we were children. We have prayed it thousands of times. Yet we often take it for granted racing through it without even thinking about the words.
Photo by bradhoc
Maureen Rotramel
Director of Child & Youth Ministry St. John XXIII Port Washington
Photo by James Coleman
Opening Prayer
O our most holy Father:
Our Creator, Redeemer, Consoler, and Savior,
You are in heaven:
And in the angels and saints,
Inflaming us to love, because You, Lord, are love,
And filling us with happiness as our Supreme and Eternal Good.
Glorious is your Your name:
May our knowledge of You become ever clearer
That we may know Your blessings and Your majesty.
Your Kingdom come:
Give us unclouded vision to let you rule in us through Your grace,
And so we enjoy a blessed companionship with You forever.
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven:
That we may love You with our whole heart,
Desire You with our whole soul,
Always think of You with affection,
Spend all our energies in serving You,
And that we may love our neighbors with Your love.
Give us this day our daily Bread:
Which is our Beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
And forgive us our trespasses:
Through Your indescribable mercy to us in Christ,
Which we see in the faith and prayers of the blessed virgin Mary.
Help us to forgive those who trespass against us:
You, Lord, enable us to forgive to the full
So that we may truly love our enemies and intercede for them.
Lead us not into temptation:
Keep us from all sin, hidden or obvious.
Deliver us from evil:
Keep us from all that’s bad in the past, present, and to come.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;
As it was in the beginning, it is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Before we dive into the Our Father, I invite you to hear what St. Teresa of Calcutta, Mother Teresa, said about prayer...
Our Creator, Redeemer, Consoler, and Savior,
You are in heaven:
And in the angels and saints,
Inflaming us to love, because You, Lord, are love,
And filling us with happiness as our Supreme and Eternal Good.
Glorious is your Your name:
May our knowledge of You become ever clearer
That we may know Your blessings and Your majesty.
Your Kingdom come:
Give us unclouded vision to let you rule in us through Your grace,
And so we enjoy a blessed companionship with You forever.
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven:
That we may love You with our whole heart,
Desire You with our whole soul,
Always think of You with affection,
Spend all our energies in serving You,
And that we may love our neighbors with Your love.
Give us this day our daily Bread:
Which is our Beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
And forgive us our trespasses:
Through Your indescribable mercy to us in Christ,
Which we see in the faith and prayers of the blessed virgin Mary.
Help us to forgive those who trespass against us:
You, Lord, enable us to forgive to the full
So that we may truly love our enemies and intercede for them.
Lead us not into temptation:
Keep us from all sin, hidden or obvious.
Deliver us from evil:
Keep us from all that’s bad in the past, present, and to come.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;
As it was in the beginning, it is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Before we dive into the Our Father, I invite you to hear what St. Teresa of Calcutta, Mother Teresa, said about prayer...
Photo by Patrick Fore
The "quintessential prayer of the Church" (CCC 2776)
Because this prayer is a summary of all that we need to live the Christian life, the Church teaches that the Lord's prayer is a summary of the entire Gospel.
The Lord's Prayer has a key place in the prayer life of Christians for two reasons: first, it comes directly to us from Jesus, and second, this prayer lays the foundation for all our desires in the Christian life
The Lord's Prayer has a key place in the prayer life of Christians for two reasons: first, it comes directly to us from Jesus, and second, this prayer lays the foundation for all our desires in the Christian life
Photo by Aaron Burden
Lord, teach us to pray...Lk 11:1
In our Gospels, we have lots of examples of Jesus praying. The Lord’s Prayer is the only formal prayer that Jesus gave us directly. The Apostles were having trouble praying and asked Jesus for help. It is comforting for us to know that even the Apostles had trouble praying sometimes.
In Matthew's Gospel, before he teaches his Apostles how to pray, he tells them what NOT to do:
When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
6
But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
7
* In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words.*
8
Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
He then goes on to teach the prayer we know as the Lord's Prayer
Jesus taught them—and us—how to pray by giving us The Lord’s Prayer as a model.
This model makes prayer personal communication with God and connects it with real life.
In Matthew's Gospel, before he teaches his Apostles how to pray, he tells them what NOT to do:
When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
6
But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
7
* In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words.*
8
Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
He then goes on to teach the prayer we know as the Lord's Prayer
Jesus taught them—and us—how to pray by giving us The Lord’s Prayer as a model.
This model makes prayer personal communication with God and connects it with real life.
Photo by Mohamed Nohassi
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. This prayer not only teaches us to ask for things, but also in what order we should desire them. St. Thomas Aquinas
St. Thomas Aquinas reminds us:
St. Augustine wrote seven commentaries on the Our Father, writing "Run through all the words of holy prayers in Scripture, and I do not think you will find anything in them that is not contained in the Lord's prayer
St. Augustine wrote seven commentaries on the Our Father, writing "Run through all the words of holy prayers in Scripture, and I do not think you will find anything in them that is not contained in the Lord's prayer
Photo by Kym MacKinnon
Prayer of the Church
- Early Christian communties
- Divine Office
- Sacraments & Mass
The Our Father is considered the prayer of the Church. It was prayed three times each day by the earliest Christian communities.
It is an integral part of the major hours of the Divine Office and of the sacraments of Christian initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist.
At Mass, it comes after the Eucharistic Prayer, summing up the intercessions of that prayer and preparing us for Holy Communion when we receive Jesus Christ
It is an integral part of the major hours of the Divine Office and of the sacraments of Christian initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist.
At Mass, it comes after the Eucharistic Prayer, summing up the intercessions of that prayer and preparing us for Holy Communion when we receive Jesus Christ
Photo by Chad Greiter
Our Father
Who is God to you?
So let's unpack the words of this prayer:
Our - our Catholic faith teaches us that we are called to follow Jesus not as solitary individuals but always as part of a community. We see this truth again in the fact that Jesus begins the prayer with "Our Father" rather than My Father
Father - While we recognize that there is no gender in God, we will be inclined to draw upon our experiences with our earthly fathers when thinking of this title for God.
If we go through the Old Testament an understanding of God as Father is evident in that God describes himself as being in a special relationship of providential care for the people of Israel and in particular for their king.
Our - our Catholic faith teaches us that we are called to follow Jesus not as solitary individuals but always as part of a community. We see this truth again in the fact that Jesus begins the prayer with "Our Father" rather than My Father
Father - While we recognize that there is no gender in God, we will be inclined to draw upon our experiences with our earthly fathers when thinking of this title for God.
If we go through the Old Testament an understanding of God as Father is evident in that God describes himself as being in a special relationship of providential care for the people of Israel and in particular for their king.
Photo by CharlesFred
The expression God the Father had never been revealed to anyone. When Moses himself asked God who he was, he heard another name. The Father's name has been revealed to us in the Son, for the name "Son" implies the new name "Father." Tertullian
Today, we have many more images of who God is and many different titles...I invite you to share in the chat your thoughts on the following questions:
• How do you view God? How do you address God when you pray? Give some examples.
• Is it possible to view God as both creator and judge, as both friend and parent?
• How does the way we view God affect our relationship with God?
• Why is expanding our view of God important to our relationship with God?
• How can expanding our view of God change our prayer life?
• How do you view God? How do you address God when you pray? Give some examples.
• Is it possible to view God as both creator and judge, as both friend and parent?
• How does the way we view God affect our relationship with God?
• Why is expanding our view of God important to our relationship with God?
• How can expanding our view of God change our prayer life?
Photo by Brianna Santellan
Who art in heaven
This biblical expression does not mean a place (“space"), but a way of being; it does not mean that God is distant, but majestic. Our Father is not "elsewhere": he transcends everything we can conceive of his holiness. It is precisely because he is thrice holy that he is so close to the humble and contrite heart.
St. Augustine teaches us "Our Father who art in heaven" is rightly understood to mean that God is in the hearts of the just, as in his holy temple. At the same time, it means that those who pray should desire the one they invoke to dwell in them.
And St. Cyril of Jerusalem wrote: "Heaven" could also be those who bear the image of the heavenly world, and in whom God dwells and tarries
When we pray "who art in heaven", our words are not an expression of place or distance. They are an expression of our desire to be in union with God. They express our desire that God dwell in our heart and help us love who he loves.
This first phrase of the Lord's Prayer addresses God and draws us into his presence. The first three petitions draw us even deeper into God's glory.
St. Augustine teaches us "Our Father who art in heaven" is rightly understood to mean that God is in the hearts of the just, as in his holy temple. At the same time, it means that those who pray should desire the one they invoke to dwell in them.
And St. Cyril of Jerusalem wrote: "Heaven" could also be those who bear the image of the heavenly world, and in whom God dwells and tarries
When we pray "who art in heaven", our words are not an expression of place or distance. They are an expression of our desire to be in union with God. They express our desire that God dwell in our heart and help us love who he loves.
This first phrase of the Lord's Prayer addresses God and draws us into his presence. The first three petitions draw us even deeper into God's glory.
Photo by Wonderlane
The Seven Petitions
In the Our Father, the object of the first three petitions is the glory of the Father: the sanctification of his name, the coming of the kingdom, and the fulfillment of his will. the four others present our wants to him: they ask that our lives be nourished, healed of sin, and made victorious in the struggle of good over evil.
Photo by Keith H. Putnam
Hallowed be thy Name
The first petition asks God to hallow, or to make holy, his name, and we know that only God makes things holy. Jesus is instructing us to recognize God's name as holy and to treat God in a holy way
We give witness to his holiness by doing his will, being people of prayer, and establishing the earthly conditions by which is holiness is manifested
We give witness to his holiness by doing his will, being people of prayer, and establishing the earthly conditions by which is holiness is manifested
Photo by Joshua Eckstein
Thy Kingdom Come
In this petition, we pray that the Kingdom promised us by God will come - the KIngdom already present in Christ's passion, death and resurrection. It is a Kingdom of love, justice, and mercy, where sins are forgiven, the sick are made whole, enemies are reconciled, captives are freed, and the needs of the poor are met.
It is all these things and more, for ultimately the Kingdom is Jesus Christ and all he means for us. The Kingdom is already here because of the redemption of Jesus Christ. But in another sense, it is "not yet" here, since Christ's final transformation of individuals, society, and culture has yet to happen in its fullness. This is why we need to pray this petition every day and work for its coming.
It is all these things and more, for ultimately the Kingdom is Jesus Christ and all he means for us. The Kingdom is already here because of the redemption of Jesus Christ. But in another sense, it is "not yet" here, since Christ's final transformation of individuals, society, and culture has yet to happen in its fullness. This is why we need to pray this petition every day and work for its coming.
Photo by Daniel Diesenreither
It may even be . . . that the Kingdom of God means Christ himself, whom we daily desire to come, and whose coming we wish to be manifested quickly to us. For as he is our resurrection, since in him we rise, so he can also be understood as the Kingdom of God, for in him we shall reign. St. Cyprian
Photo by Vaishakh pillai
Thy Will Be Done on Earth as It is in Heaven
In the third petition, we ask our Father to unite our will to that of Jesus so as to fulfill the plan of salvation in the world. We need God's help and protection to make this possible.
What is God's will? In creating us, God established a plan for how to live in a fully human and spiritual manner. Jesus came to us to show us exactly what that means. The Lord Jesus asks us to be his disciples and shape our lives by faith.
"Just as I have loved you, you should also love one another" (John 13:34) summarizes God's entire will. This means that love is mandatory for Christians. God's will is that we love everyone, with a love that includes serving, forgiving, and sometimes suffering, without receiving love in return.
What is God's will? In creating us, God established a plan for how to live in a fully human and spiritual manner. Jesus came to us to show us exactly what that means. The Lord Jesus asks us to be his disciples and shape our lives by faith.
"Just as I have loved you, you should also love one another" (John 13:34) summarizes God's entire will. This means that love is mandatory for Christians. God's will is that we love everyone, with a love that includes serving, forgiving, and sometimes suffering, without receiving love in return.
Photo by NASA
Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread
Our daily bread refers to the earthly nourishment necessary to everyone for subsistence, and also to the Bread of Life: the Word of God and the Body of Christ. We draw our life from the Eucharist each time we receive Holy Communion.
In a homily to the Italian bishops in November 2001, Pope St. John Paul II expressed the same gratitude and share responsibilty that underlies our prayer for daily bread in the Lord's prayer:
When teaching this prayer to the disciples, Christ asked them to trust in the goodness of God the Father, who rejoices to give all creatures, especially human beings, what is necessary for life. At the same time, having us say "today" and daily reminds us that this gift must not be taken for granted, but must always be asked for and received in a spirit of thanksgiving.
Moreover, it is important that Christ taught is to ask for "or" bread, and not that each one ask for "his" own. This means that children of the same Father are co-responsible for the "bread" of all, so that everyone may live in dignity and together with the others thank the Lord.
In a homily to the Italian bishops in November 2001, Pope St. John Paul II expressed the same gratitude and share responsibilty that underlies our prayer for daily bread in the Lord's prayer:
When teaching this prayer to the disciples, Christ asked them to trust in the goodness of God the Father, who rejoices to give all creatures, especially human beings, what is necessary for life. At the same time, having us say "today" and daily reminds us that this gift must not be taken for granted, but must always be asked for and received in a spirit of thanksgiving.
Moreover, it is important that Christ taught is to ask for "or" bread, and not that each one ask for "his" own. This means that children of the same Father are co-responsible for the "bread" of all, so that everyone may live in dignity and together with the others thank the Lord.
Photo by Mike Kenneally
And Forgive Us Our Trespasses, as We Forgive Those Who Trespass AGAINST US
The fifth petition begs God's mercy for our offenses, mercy which can penetrate our hearts only if we have learned to forgive our enemies, with the example and help of Christ.
CCC 2862
The best way to obtain mercy is to be merciful. As Jesus taught us, "Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy." Failure to forgive routinely tears apart families, neighborhoods and even nations. Holding grudges is commonplace. Jesus stressed mercy and forgiveness in numerous ways such as when he asked the Father to forgive those who crucified him. We pray to God that we may be able to forgive as much as we are forgiven.
CCC 2862
The best way to obtain mercy is to be merciful. As Jesus taught us, "Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy." Failure to forgive routinely tears apart families, neighborhoods and even nations. Holding grudges is commonplace. Jesus stressed mercy and forgiveness in numerous ways such as when he asked the Father to forgive those who crucified him. We pray to God that we may be able to forgive as much as we are forgiven.
Photo by Lina Trochez
And Lead Us not into Temptation
God wants to set us free from evil; he tempts no one
When we say "lead us not into temptation" we are asking God not to allow us to take the path that leads to sin. This petition implores the Spirit of discernment and strength; it requests the grace of vigilance and final perseverance. CCC 2863
The greatest difficulty lies on being able to identify temptations for what they are. Like the fruit of the tree in the Garden of Eden, temptations masquerade as good, desirable, and a delight to the eyes. We can all think of times when we chose to do something because we thought it would be fun but in the end it led to hurt and sorrow.
In this petition we entrust ourselves to the Holy Spirit to keep us alert to the dangers of sin and give us the grace to resist temptation. A meditation on how Christ resisted temptation in the desert is an inspiring example of how we should conduct ourselves in the face of temptation. It is by his prayer that Jesus vanquishes the tempter, both at the outset of his public mission and in the ultimate struggle of his agony.
When we say "lead us not into temptation" we are asking God not to allow us to take the path that leads to sin. This petition implores the Spirit of discernment and strength; it requests the grace of vigilance and final perseverance. CCC 2863
The greatest difficulty lies on being able to identify temptations for what they are. Like the fruit of the tree in the Garden of Eden, temptations masquerade as good, desirable, and a delight to the eyes. We can all think of times when we chose to do something because we thought it would be fun but in the end it led to hurt and sorrow.
In this petition we entrust ourselves to the Holy Spirit to keep us alert to the dangers of sin and give us the grace to resist temptation. A meditation on how Christ resisted temptation in the desert is an inspiring example of how we should conduct ourselves in the face of temptation. It is by his prayer that Jesus vanquishes the tempter, both at the outset of his public mission and in the ultimate struggle of his agony.
Photo by Hansjörg Keller
No testing has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, so that you may be able to endure it. 1 Cor 10:13
Photo by Kajetan Sumila
But Deliver Us from Evil
The last petition continues the theme of the sixth petition, the struggle of good over evil. It moves away from our personal struggle with evil to pray with the whole Church about the distress of the world. We ask to be delivered from evil and strengthened to persevere against the world until Christ's Second Coming. It echoes the prayer of Jesus to the Father at the Last Supper, "I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one" (John 17:15)
The Catechism emphasizes that we ask God to deliver us from the Evil One - Satan, the devil. The evil we confront is not just an abstract idea, but an evil, fallen angel who wants to prevent our salvation. We entrust ourselves to God so that the devil may not lead us into sin.
The Catechism emphasizes that we ask God to deliver us from the Evil One - Satan, the devil. The evil we confront is not just an abstract idea, but an evil, fallen angel who wants to prevent our salvation. We entrust ourselves to God so that the devil may not lead us into sin.
Photo by Jake Colling
One who entrusts himself to God does not dread the devil. "If God is for us, who is against us?" St. Ambrose
Photo by Lawrence OP
One who entrusts himself to God does not dread the devil. "If God is for us, who is against us?" St. Ambrose
We ask God to deliver us from all evils - past, present and future - of which Satan is the author or instigator
Photo by Lawrence OP
The Final Doxology
For the Kingdom, the power and the glory are yours, now and forever
The final doxology was added by the early Church. In Judaism, it was normal to conclude prayers with a formal doxology, or short expression of praise and the early Christian communities often followed this Jewish practice. They ended the Lord's prayer with the doxology. We know this because it is quoted in an early Christian paper called the Didache, written before AD 100.
Some of the earliest copies of the Gospels added the doxology to the Lord's prayer in Matthew chapter 6 and other copies did not. The manuscript that St. Jerome used in the 4th century to translate the New Testament from Greek into Latin did not include the added doxology. Thus it was not included in Catholic Bibles. The manuscript that was used in the early 1600's to translate the King James Bible included the doxology, which is why it is in many Protestant Bibles.
These words of praise echo the first three petitions, and we use them as words of adoration in union with the liturgy of heaven.
Some of the earliest copies of the Gospels added the doxology to the Lord's prayer in Matthew chapter 6 and other copies did not. The manuscript that St. Jerome used in the 4th century to translate the New Testament from Greek into Latin did not include the added doxology. Thus it was not included in Catholic Bibles. The manuscript that was used in the early 1600's to translate the King James Bible included the doxology, which is why it is in many Protestant Bibles.
These words of praise echo the first three petitions, and we use them as words of adoration in union with the liturgy of heaven.
Photo by J a s o n B o l d e r o
Amen!
We conclude with the Amen which means "So be it" We joyfully ratify the words that Jesus taught us.
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Breakout groups
- Hallowed be thy name
- Thy kingdom come
- Thy will be done on earth on earth as it...
- Give us this day our daily bread
- Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive...
- And lead us not into temptation
- But deliver us from evil
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Our Father
Photo by Liane Metzler
Who is in heaven
Photo by Daniel Páscoa
Holy is your Name
Photo by JOHN TOWNER
Your kingdom come
Photo by Jacob Bentzinger
On earth as it is in heaven
Photo by Kevin M. Gill
Give us this day
Photo by Kay Gaensler
And forgive us our sins
Photo by Pigoora | Love Trough The Lens
As we forgive others
Photo by hang_in_there
And lead us from temptation
Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters
And deliver us from evil
Photo by Norbert Buduczki
