Understanding Our Father: Biblical Reflections on the Lord's Prayer by Scott Hahn

Author:Scott Hahn
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub, pdf
Tags: Spirituality, Religion, Catholicism, Christianity
ISBN: 9781931018159
Publisher: Emmaus Road Publishing
Published: 2002-08-15T21:48:43+00:00

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1 ^Far from evoking anti-Semitism, this passage should lead us to realize that if God did not spare the Chosen People of Israel and their beloved capital (Jerusalem, the holy city), we Gentiles will not be spared the same judgment that befell our eldest brother, Israel (cf. Ex. 4:22).

2 ^The hours of the day were numbered from dawn until dusk. The third hour marked midmorning; the sixth, midday; and the ninth, midafternoon.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

SAINT CYRIL OF JERUSALEM

Mystagogic Catechesis V (selection)

We say the prayer that the Savior delivered to His own disciples. With a pure conscience, we call God our Father and say, “Our Father who art in heaven” (Mt. 6:9). O most surpassing loving-kindness of God! On those who revolted from Him and were in very extreme misery, He has bestowed such a complete forgiveness of evil deeds, and such a great participation of grace, that they could even call Him “Father.”

“Our Father who art in heaven” (Mt. 6:9). Those who bear the image of the heavenly (cf. 1 Cor. 15:49), in whom God dwells and walks (cf. Is. 52; Rom. 2:24), are a heaven.

“Hallowed be thy name” (Mt. 6:9). The name of God is in its nature holy, whether we say so or not. Since it is sometimes profaned among sinners (according to the words, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you” [Rom. 2:24]), we pray that in us God’s name may be hallowed—not that it comes to be holy from not being holy, but because it becomes holy in us, when we are made holy and do things worthy of holiness.

“Thy kingdom come” (Mt. 6:10). A pure soul can say with boldness, “Thy kingdom come,” for he who has heard Paul saying, “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies” (Rom. 6:12), and has cleansed himself in deed, thought, and word, will say to God, “Thy kingdom come.”

“Thy will be done, [o]n earth as it is in heaven” (Mt. 6:10). God’s divine and blessed angels do the will of God, as David said in the psalm, “Bless the LORD, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word” (Ps. 103:20). So in effect you mean this by your prayer: “As in the angels Thy will is done, so likewise be it done on earth in me, O Lord.”

“Give us this day our substantial bread” (cf. Mt. 6:11). Common bread is not substantial bread, but holy Bread is substantial, that is, intended for the substance of the soul. For this Bread goes not into the belly and is cast out into the sewer (cf. Mt. 15:17), but is distributed into your whole person for the benefit of body and soul. By “this day,” he means, “each day,” as also Paul said, while it is called today (cf. Heb. 3:15).

“And forgive us our debts, [a]s we also have forgiven our debtors” (Mt. 6:12). We have many sins; we offend both in word and in thought; we do very many things worthy of condemnation; and if we say that we have no sin, we lie, as John says (cf.

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