Part Four: Christian Prayer › Section Two of Part Four: The Lord’s Prayer “Our Father!” ›› Article 3: The Seven Petitions

Questions and Answers

2840. How can the seven petitions of the “Our Father” be grouped? (CCC 2803) The seven petitions of the “Our Father” can be grouped into:
1. the first three referring to God and His glory
2. the last four referring to us and our needs.
2841. Why do the first three petitions of the Our Father concern faith, hope and charity? (CCC 2806) The first three petitions of the Our Father concern faith, hope and charity, because:
1. “hallowed be Thy name” strengthens our faith
2. “Thy Kingdom come” fills us with hope
3. “Thy will be done” sets us aflame by charity.
2842. What does ‘to hallow’ mean in “hallowed be Thy name”? (CCC 2807) ‘To hallow’ in “hallowed be Thy name” means ‘to recognize as holy’, ‘to treat in a holy way’.
2843. How is “hallowed be Thy name” put into practice? (CCC 2807) “Hallowed be Thy name” is put into practice by adoration.
Adoration is the first attitude of man acknowledging that he is a creature before his Creator.
2844. Why do God’s holiness and glory explain each other? (CCC 2809) God’s holiness and glory explain each other, because God’s glory is that part of His holiness that He reveals in creation and history.
2845. How did the manifestation of God’s holiness change after original sin? (CCC 2809) The manifestation of God’s holiness changed after original sin as God manifested His holiness by revealing His name, in order to restore man to the image of His Creator.
2846. To whom did God reveal His name for the first time? (CCC 2810) God revealed His name for the first time to Moses (Ex 3).
2847. When is the name of the Holy God revealed to us in the flesh? (CCC 2812) In Jesus Christ the name of the Holy God is revealed to us in the flesh.
2848. What name above all names does Christ receive after His Passover? (CCC 2812) The name above all names that Christ receives after His Passover is: Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
2849. When does the Christian receive sanctification? (CCC 2813) The Christian is sanctified in the waters of Baptism.
2850. How is God’s name hallowed in us according to St Peter Chrysologus? (CCC 2814) According to St Peter Chrysologus († 450) God’s name is hallowed in us through our good deeds.
2851. What does “Kingdom” in the petition “Thy Kingdom come” mean? (CCC 2816) “Kingdom” in the petition “Thy Kingdom come” means:
1. as an abstract noun: Kingship
2. as a concrete noun: Kingdom
3. as an action noun: Reign.
2852. To what does “Thy Kingdom come” primarily refer? (CCC 2818) “Thy Kingdom come” refers primarily to the final coming of the reign of God through Christ’s return.
2853. How does Rom 14 define the Kingdom of God? (CCC 2819) Rom 14 defines the Kingdom of God as righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
2854. What is the content of God’s will invoked in the petition “Thy will be done”? (CCC 2822) The content of God’s will invoked in the petition “Thy will be done” is that all men may be saved.
2855. What is God’s will according to Eph 1? (CCC 2823) According to Eph 1 God’s will is to gather up all things in Christ.
2856. In what person has the Father’s will been perfectly fulfilled once for all? (CCC 2824) The Father’s will has been perfectly fulfilled once for all in Christ.
2857. How can the faithful accomplish the will of the Father? (CCC 2825) The faithful can accomplish the will of the Father by uniting themselves with the will of Christ.
2858. How can we discern the will of God? (CCC 2826) We can discern the will of God by prayer.
2859. How does St Augustine understand “on earth as it is in heaven”? (CCC 2827) St Augustine († 430) understands “on earth as it is in heaven” as “in the Church as in our Lord Jesus Christ Himself”.
2860. What does “give us” in “give us this day our daily bread” teach? (CCC 2828) “Give us” in “give us this day our daily bread” teaches to expect everything from our Father.
2861. What does “our bread” in “give us this day our daily bread” mean? (CCC 2830) “Our bread” in “give us this day our daily bread” means the nourishment life requires, both material and spiritual.
2862. Why is the petition for bread connected with the hunger in the world? (CCC 2831-2833) The petition for bread is connected with the hunger in the world, because we cannot receive the bread without sharing it with the poor.
2863. Why do the faithful say grace at meals? (CCC 2834) The faithful say grace at meals in order to ask for food and to thank for it.
2864. What famine does the prophet Amos denounce? (CCC 2835) The prophet Amos denounces the famine of hearing the words of the Lord (Am 8).
2865. What does “this day” in “give us this day our daily bread” mean? (CCC 2836) “This day” in “give us this day our daily bread” means:
1. our mortal time
2. the today of God.
2866. What are the three senses of “daily” in “give us this day our daily bread”? (CCC 2837) The three senses of “daily” in “give us this day our daily bread” are:
1. the temporal sense: repeats “this day” to confirm us in trust
2. the qualitative sense: signifies what is necessary for life
3. the literal sense: refers to the Holy Eucharist.
“Daily” (Greek: epiousios) means literally “super-essential”.
2867. How does St Peter Chrysologus explain Christ as the bread of heaven? (CCC 2837) St Peter Chrysologus († 450) explains Christ as the bread of heaven who was sown in the Virgin, raised up in the flesh, kneaded in the Passion, baked in the oven of the tomb, reserved in churches, brought to altars and who furnishes the faithful each day with food from heaven.
2868. Under what condition will God “forgive us our trespasses”? (CCC 2838) God will “forgive us our trespasses” under the condition that we forgive those who trespassed against us.
2869. What are the efficacious signs of God’s forgiveness? (CCC 2839) The efficacious signs of God’s forgiveness are the sacraments.
2870. Why do we have to forgive in order to be forgiven? (CCC 2840) We have to forgive in order to be forgiven, because in refusing to forgive our brothers, our hearts are closed and their hardness makes them impervious to God’s love.
2871. How does the Sermon on the Mount emphasize “forgive us our trespasses”? (CCC 2841) The Sermon on the Mount emphasizes “forgive us our trespasses” by repeating and developing it at the end of the Our Father.
2872. What does the “as” mean in “as we forgive those who trespass against us”? (CCC 2842) The “as” in “as we forgive those who trespass against us” means that we must participate in God’s mercy and love.
2873. How can forgiveness be accomplished practically? (CCC 2843) Forgiveness can be accomplished practically by:
1. turning injury into compassion
2. purifying the memory in transforming the hurt into intercession.
It is not in our power not to feel or to forget an offence.
2874. Why is forgiveness essential for prayer? (CCC 2844) Forgiveness is essential for prayer, because only hearts attuned to God’s compassion can receive the gift of prayer.
2875. For what does “and lead us not into temptation” pray? (CCC 2846) “And lead us not into temptation” prays that God may not:
1. allow us to enter into temptation
2. let us yield to temptation.
2876. Why is temptation a lie? (CCC 2847) Temptation is a lie, because its object appears to be good and desirable while, in reality, its fruit is death.
2877. What is vigilance in the context of temptations? (CCC 2849) In the context of temptations vigilance is custody of the heart.
2878. What is final perseverance? (CCC 2849) Final perseverance is persistence until the last temptation of our earthly battle.
2879. To what does “evil” in the petition “deliver us from evil” refer? (CCC 2851) “Evil” in the petition “deliver us from evil” refers to a person, Satan.
2880. What will the definitive defeat of Satan entail for all creation? (CCC 2852) The definitive defeat of Satan will entail that all creation will be freed from sin and death.
2881. When was victory over Satan won once for all? (CCC 2853) Victory over Satan was won once for all at the Hour when Christ freely gave Himself up to death.
2882. For what do we also ask when we pray to be delivered from Satan? (CCC 2854) When we pray to be delivered from Satan, we also ask to be delivered from all evils, present, past and future, of which he is the author or instigator.