39. THE LORD'S PRAYER

39. THE LORD'S PRAYER WITH THE OUR FATHER JESUS BOTH TAUGHT US HOW TO PRAY AND GAVE US A SUMMARY OF THE GOSPEL Compendium 578-598 Matthew 6:913 Luke 11:1-4 The Our Father embodies the Beatitudes. They are a self portrait of Christ and a blueprint for holiness. The true home of the Our Father is in the Eucharist which embodies its seven petitions. "Our" means it is a prayer of unity for all humanity. "Who art in heaven" lifts us up to his glory. We ask God to feed us, forgive us, sustain us in temptation and to free us from all evil. "Hallowed be the name" means we want his holiness to envelop the whole earth. "The kingdom come" asks for the civilization of love to be realized. "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven" asks that we may imitate the lives of Jesus and Mary in total obedience to the Father for the salvation of the world. "Our daily bread" recognizes that we do not live on material food alone but we need the Eucharist and every word of the Gospel. "Forgive us our sins" echoes "Blessed are the merciful". "Lead us not into temptation" asks for strength and perseverance. "Deliver us from evil" we proclaim that Jesus has conquered sin and the Devil. "Amen" is our assent to this prayer which must rule our lives.