The Our Father

COMPENDIUM

The best of all vocal prayers is that which was taught us by Jesus Christ Himself, i.e., the Pater noster, or Our Father. It is the best of prayers, because Christ Himself taught it, and because it clearly sums up in a few words everything we can hope for from God, and because it is the rule and model for all other prayers. Moreover, the Pater noster is the most efficacious of all prayers, because it is the most acceptable to God, since, in using it, we pray with the same words which were given us by His Divine Son.

The Pater noster is called the "Lord's Prayer," because our Lord Jesus Christ taught it us with His own lips. The Pater noster consists of an introduction and seven petitions, as follows:

Introduction: Our Father who art in heaven;

1. Hallowed be Thy name.
2. Thy kingdom come.
3. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
4. Give us this day our daily bread.
5. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us.
6. And lead us not into temptation.
7. But deliver us from evil. Amen.

The introductory words, "Our Father," are meant to awaken our confidence in the infinite loving-kindness of God, since we are His sons; sons of God, because He has created us in His image, and keeps and governs us by His providence, and because, in His wonderful benevolence, He has adopted us in Baptism as brothers of Jesus Christ and co-heirs with Him of eternal glory. We call God "our" Father and not "my" Father, because we are all His sons, and therefore we ought all to look upon and love one another like brothers, and also to pray for one another. The words, "who art in heaven," do not mean that God is not everywhere, for He is so; but they are intended to lift up our hearts to heaven, where God manifests Himself in glory to His children.

CATECHISM

279. Which is the most excellent of all vocal prayers?

The most excellent of all vocal prayers is that which Jesus Christ taught us, that is to say, the Pater noster, or Our Father.

280. Why is the Our Father the most excellent of all prayers?

The Our Father is the most excellent of all prayers because Jesus Christ Himself composed it and taught it to us; because it contains clearly and in a few words all we can hope for from God; and because it is the standard and model of all other prayers.

281. Is the Our Father also the most efficacious of prayers?

Yes, it is also the most efficacious of prayers, because it is the most acceptable to God, since in it we pray in the very words His Divine Son has taught us.

282. Why is the Our Father called the Lord's Prayer?

The Our Father is called the Lord's Prayer, precisely because Jesus Christ our Lord has taught it to us with His own lips.

283. How many petitions are there in the Our Father?

In the Our Father there are seven petitions preceded by an introduction.

284. Say the Our Father.

Our Father who are in heaven;

1. Hallowed be Thy name.
2. Thy kingdom come.
3. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
4. Give us this day our daily bread.
5. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us.
6. And lead us not into temptation.
7. But deliver us from evil. Amen.

285. When invoking God in the beginning of the Lord's Prayer, why do we call Him our Father?

In the beginning of the Lord's Prayer, we call God our Father to foster confidence in His infinite goodness by the remembrance that we are his children.

286. How can we say that we are the children of God?

We are the children of God: first, because He has created us in His own image, and preserves and governs us by His providence; and secondly, because, by an act of special benevolence, He has adopted us in Baptism as brothers of Jesus Christ and co-heirs with Him to eternal glory.

287. Why do we call God our Father and not my Father?

We call God our Father and not my Father, because we are all His children, and hence we should look on and love one another as brothers and pray for one another.

288. God being in every place, why do we say: who art in heaven?

God is in every place; but we say: Our Father who art in heaven to raise our hearts to heaven, where God manifests His glory to His children.