God-Our Father

“OUR FATHER” – These are the first two words THE LORD’S PRAYER, which was taught by Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. (Matt.6:9-13)

We may say that this is the Prayer that is most frequently recited by all Christians; but is its significance adequately understood and interiorized? I wonder and my wondering leads me now the share what I learned from the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Catechism for Filipino Catholics regarding THE LORD’S PRAYER.

1. Summary of the whole Gospel, It presents in the form of prayer the essential contents of the whole Gospel.

2. Composed of three (3) parts:
a. Address – “Our Father, Who art in Heaven”
b. YOU Petitions – Man’s Worship of God
c. WE Petitions - Man’s Need for God

3. A Brief Exposition of the three (3) parts:
a. The invocation “Our Father” should make us aware of our being adopted children of God through the redeeming grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
“Who art in Heaven” is a biblical expression that indicates not a place but a way of being. It refers to God’s majesty, His holiness and presence in the hearts of the just. It constitutes our true homeland towards which we are moving in hope while we are still on earth.

b. There are three (3) YOU Petitions:
These are petitions to manifest our WORSHIP OF GOD by:
- Knowing Him – Sanctification of His Name
- Loving Him - Coming of His Kingdom
- Serving Him – Fulfillment of His Will

c. There are four (4) WE Petitions:
These are petitions to address man’s need for God by:
- Asking for Daily Bread – Man’s need to live spiritually and physically
- Asking for Forgiveness – Man’s need to be forgiven of his sinfulness
- Asking for Help to overcome temptations – Man’s need to be strengthened
against the sinful allurements of this world
- Asking for Protection from the Evil One – Man’s need to be protected from
the snares of Satan who opposes God and who wants to deceive the whole world.

4. Meaning of “AMEN”
The prayer ends with “AMEN” which means “SO BE IT”. By this word one ratifies all that is contained in the Prayer.

Whenever I pray the “Our Father” the foregoing considerations help me a lot to give meaning to what I say and thus enable me to concentrate and focus my attention on God, the Almighty, Whom I am addressing as “FATHER”.

by: Salvador 'Buddy' Cagurangan
June 20, 2010