The Fourth Petition

"Give us this day our daily bread"

COMPENDIUM

This petition asks for what is necessary for us every day for both body and soul. For our soul, we beg the sustenance of the spiritual life, i.e., we pray God to give us His grace, of which we are constantly in need. The life of the soul is fed specially with the food of the Divine Word, and with the Most Holy Sacrament of the altar. For our bodies, we beg for what is necessary for the sustenance of our temporal life.

We say: "Give us this day our daily bread," using the word "our" to shut out any desire of the goods of other people, and hence we pray that God may help us in all just and lawful earnings, so that we may procure our living by our own work, and not by robbery or sharp practices.

We say give "us" and not "me" to remind ourselves that, as all we have comes to us from God, if He provides us with abundance, He does it that we may distribute what is superfluous to the poor.

The word "daily" is inserted, because we ought to desire what is necessary for living, and not an overabundance of things to eat and of earthly goods. And the words "this day" suggest that we should not be too anxious about the future, but pray for what is necessary for the present.

CATECHISM

301. What do we ask in the Fourth Petition: Give us this day our daily bread?

In the Fourth Petition, we beg of God all that is daily necessary for soul and body.

302. What do we ask of God for our soul?

For our soul, we ask of God the sustenance of our spiritual life, that is, we pray the Lord to give us His grace of which we stand in continual need.

303. How is the life of the soul nourished?

The life of the soul is nourished principally by the food of the word of God and by the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.

304. What do we ask of God for our body?

For the body we ask all that is necessary for the sustenance of our temporal life.

305. Why do we say: Give us this day our daily bread, rather than: Give us bread this day?

We say: Give us this day our daily bread, rather than: Give us bread this day, to exclude all desire of what is another's; and hence we beg the Lord to help us in acquiring just and lawful gains, so that we may procure our maintenance by our own toil and without theft or fraud.

306. Why do we say: Give us bread, and not: Give me bread?

We say: Give us, rather than, Give me, to remind us that as everything comes from God, so if He gives us His gifts in abundance, He does it in order that we may share what we do not need with the poor.

307. Why do we add: daily?

We add daily, because we should desire that which is necessary to life, and not an overabundance of food and other goods of the earth.

308. What more does daily signify in the Fourth Petition?

The word daily furthermore signifies that we should not be too solicitous regarding the future, but that we should simply ask what we need at present.