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, 2775.
The “Our Father is called the ”Lord’s Prayer"because it has been given to us by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself (cf. Matthew 6:9–13; Luke 11:2–4). Sacred Scripture is the Word of the Lord. The Lord’s Prayer is so doubly: is found in Sacred Scripture, specifically on the lips of the Word made flesh Himself, the Lord Jesus.
Jesus Christ is for Christians the Master of prayer. The Hebrew word tefillaw is translated variously as prayer, intercession, supplication and even as a hymn. The Greek terms prar, deesis, proseuche, and enteuxis are all translated variously into English as “prayer.” Jesus Christ is our Master of prayer in at least three ways: we pray to Him and we pray with Him and we pray like Him. The acronym ACTS is helpful for us to be true disciples of the Lord as a people of prayer: A (adoration) C (contrition) T (thanksgiving) S (supplication). Keeping these four forms of prayer a part of our lives of prayer ensures that we have the Lord as our Master of prayer. God has the right to our adoration and is worthy to receive it. The Lord Jesus suffered for our sins and wept over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41), we should be no less sorry for our own sins. When we give thanks to God we follow our Master the Lord Jesus (cf. Matthew 15:36; 26:27; Mark 8:6; 14:23; Luke 22:19; John 6:11, 23; 11:41; Acts 27:35). In our prayer we are able to give thanks to God for creation, redemption and even divine Providence. In our prayer of supplication we ask for blessings for ourselves and others. Even when we participate in the monastic school of prayer which is Carmel, the Lord remains our Master. In the “purgative way” of prayer we allow the Lord Jesus to help us remove sin from our hearts and minds. In the “illuminative way” of prayer we allow the Lord to give us insights into the spiritual life. In the “unitive way” of prayer we allow the Lord to be one with us in our very being by His grace.
The Lord Jesus Christ is for Christians the Model of prayer. When confronting demons the Lord Jesus calls us to both pray and fast (Matthew 17:21). The Lord calls us to believe in the power of prayer (Matthew 21:22). The Lord Jesus spent the whole night in prayer (Luke 6:12). The prayer form of lectio divina (divine reading) also includes different aspects of the way the Lord Himself prayed: lectio (to read), meditatio (to meditate), oratio (to pray), and contemplatio (to contemplate). We see the Lord at lectio in Luke 4:16–21, publicly reading in the synagogue from the Prophet Isaiah and explaining the passage as the fruit of His contemplation (contemplatio).
God bless you!
Father John Arthur Orr