Catholic Theology And The Secular World
The 'Our Father' A Most Powerful Prayer
Prayers are powerful. Those who were paying attention in religion class learned that all things come by prayer.
The Bible attests to this truth with ‘whatever we ask in the Son’s name, so it will be granted.’ Really? ANYTHING we ask for? In young adolescent and young adult years, such words can make a good soul absolutely ‘giddy’ with the possibilities, not unlike a young child making the list of wants to Santa Claus.
ANYTHING we ask for? Fame! Fortune! Recognition and admiration by the community we dwell in, the church, one’s family. A ‘Midas touch’ of all our undertakings being successful because, yes, oh yes, God loves me! I am SO GOOD; how could a loving Father in heaven and Jesus, my Savior who dwells in me, refuse anything I would request?
How? Well, because we forget what should be at the heart of all prayers: a humble dependence on God’s will to be done. God answers all prayers with respect to the ‘common good.’ God is impartial that way. We need to understand, first and foremost, what God has already provided to us for our earthly journey 'upward' on the 'narrow path.'
It came to me that in each line of the Our Father, we are not simply acknowledging God but being mindful of the gifts received from the Holy Spirit, when confirmed in our learning of God, Father, Son, Holy Spirit, and the Sacraments of Christ's presence through The One Holy Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ. We are now part of the 'new covenant' with God, Father through His 'ONLY' Divine Son, and with Mary, who was given the fullness of grace from her heavenly Father.
I have written below each line of the prayer and what I believe is God's gift in each line prayed. Yes, everything we need, He already provided — if we are aware. If we should want to increase these gifts, as situations arise, all we need do is ask with this most humbling yet powerful prayer:
Our Father who art in heaven (Gift of Faith — to acknowledge and give the respect that there is a Heaven and THE GOD who is the one wholly responsible for all temporal and spiritual good enjoyed because of His gift of faith.)
Hallowed be thy name (Gift of Piety — a reverence for God and THE WAY God’s ONLY begotten Son established that permits us to grow closer to God.)
Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will be done (Gift of Counsel — knowing the right, but not always easy, actions in living life on earth, that He set in two stone tablets.)
On earth, as it is in heaven (Gift of Understanding — of the purpose for being born of lowly flesh, that we ‘work out our salvation’ through the sacrificial life, as our Savior taught, to enjoy eternal life with Him one day.)
Give us this day our daily bread (Gift of Wisdom; to appreciate blessings in the moment, not wanting for more.)
Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us (Gift of Knowledge of GOD and His Way; to know what sin is, ask for forgiveness if need be, and be given the gift of God's mercy that we 'forgive others' from the heart, convenient or not - i.e., whether that "other" accepts us or not…we forgive them, that God may then bestow to them, the grace to ask forgiveness; and the kingdom of God be built up.)
Lead us not into temptation and deliver us from evil (Gift of Fortitude that we NOT do or think as ‘the world.’)
As we pray The Our Father for ourselves, we should pray that others come to understand the good gifts our spiritual Father wishes His children to have.
These spiritual gifts are far better than what the 'the spirit opposite of God' entices souls with, Fame! Fortune! Recognition and admiration by 'the world!' A 'Midas touch' for all our undertakings that takes us from the attributes of God's ONLY Divine Son and our Savior: meekness, humility, and dependence on GOD, Father and Son and Holy Spirit. Who could want for anything more than to be in unity with
God — which is to be in heaven!
A most powerful prayer, say it often and do not doubt THE GRACE of receiving all that it asks.
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About the Author
Born and baptized in infancy into the Catholic Church, I have always been a practicing Catholic, living the gift of faith in God, with wisdom now understanding such living does take ‘lots of practice.’ For me, over 45 years worth of practice -- and that is as much as I will say about my chronological age. Please note by this introduction that I do enjoy lighthearted humor, which led to my 'call' to pursue the vocation of cartoon illustration. Such vocation is a very competitive field yet I do feel God directed my steps to both earning my daily bread and honing the illustration ability via the field of pre-press print production in such areas as community newspapers, retail advertising print production, and small print shop laying out text and image to be visually appealing.
From the repetitively doing of the graphic artwork of pre-press production, I came to realize that I can not only write with a picture (cartoon) but I can draw with words. What also came to be through the daily, dutiful, and disciplined service work for a living was the ever growing knowledge of my Catholic faith, as I persevered in 'offering up,' best I understood that, at each stage and age of my life, as I attended Catholic Mass weekly, and later in life daily Mass. Indeed the work-a-day world takes a lot of endurance and I found that attending daily Mass before going to the daily job in a print shop gave me an amazing 'strength' and 'endurance.'
I hope the articles I write for Catholic365.com are down-to-earth and fun, and that I have helped others to understand how special the Catholic faith practice is, and the grace that comes through the Catholic Church.
