Explanation of the Lord's Prayer
Explanation of the Our Father from the ancient liturgy of the reception of converts:
Our Father, Who art in Heaven.
Observe these words, how full they are of holy liberty and confidence. Live, therefore, in such manner, that you may be children of God, and brethren of Christ. Of what rashness would he be guilty who dared to call god his Father, yet proved himself to be degenerate by opposing God’s will! Dearly beloved children, show yourselves to be worthy of the divine adoption; for it is written: “To them that believe in His Name, He gave power to be made sons of God.”
Hallowed be Thy Name.
It is not that God, Who is ever holy, needs to be hallowed by us; but what we here ask, is that His Name be sanctified in us: so that we, who have been made holy by the Baptism He has given us, may persevere in the new being we have received from Him.
Thy kingdom come.
Our God Whose kingdom is forever, does He not always reign? Yes, undoubtedly; but what we ask for, when we say, Thy kingdom come, is the coming of that kingdom which He has promised us, and which Christ has merited fur us by His Blood and Passion.
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
That is to say: May Thy will be in such manner fulfilled that what Thou willest in heaven, may be faithfully accomplished by us who are on earth.
Give us this day our daily bread.
We mean by this, our spiritual food: for Christ is our bread, as He said: “I am the living Bread that came down from heaven.” We say our daily bread, because we ought unceasingly to ask to be made free from sin, in order that we may be made worthy of the heavenly nourishment.
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those that trespass against us.
These words signify that we cannot merit the forgiveness of our sins unless we first forgive what others do against us. Thus it is that our Lord says in the Gospel: “If you will not forgive men their offenses, neither will your Father forgive you your offenses.”
And lead us not into temptation.
That is: suffer us not to be led into it by the tempter, by the author of evil. For the Scripture says: “God is not the tempter to evil things.” It is the devil that tempts us; and that we may overcome him, the Lord says to us: “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation.”
But deliver us from evil.
These words refer to that which is said by the apostle: We know not what we should pray for.” We should beseech God, that the evils which we cannot avoid because of human weakness, we may avoid in virtue of that help which will mercifully be granted us by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who, being God, liveth and reigneth in the unity of the Holy Ghost, for ever and ever.
Observe silence, and lend an attentive ear.
You have just heard, dearly beloved children, the mysteries of the Lord’s Prayer: see, therefore, that you fix them in your hearts, both coming in and going out, that you may become perfect, asking and receiving the mercy of God. The Lord our God is mighty, and will lead you, who are on the way to faith, to the laver of the water of regeneration. May He mercifully grant that we, who have delivered unto you the mysteries of the Catholic faith, may be brought, together with you, to the kingdom of heaven: who liveth and reigneth with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, for ever and ever.
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