Exposition of the Lord's Prayer

VARIOUS EXPOSITIONS OF, AND EXERCISES UPON, THE LORD'S PRAYER.

The form, and model, and sum of all prayers is the Lord's Prayer, which is to be the more highly esteemed, in proportion to the many excellences in which it surpasses all others.

First of all, in authority and in dignity; for it was composed by Christ himself, and came forth from his sacred mouth.

Secondly, it recommends itself by being short and easy, yet abounding in meanings, and mysteries, so wonderfully and perfectly disposed, as to comprehend whatever can be lawfully asked of God.

Besides, it is peculiarly efficacious in easily exciting the mercy of God, and disposing him favourably towards the suppliant. For how can our heavenly Father refuse to listen to those whom he sees coming to supplicate him, prepared with the precepts and words of his beloved Son, our Mediator and Advocate?

Lastly, it briefly, but clearly, expresses all the parts, terms, and conditions of a good prayer; so that when earnestly and attentively said, it forcibly arouses and keeps in exercise the spirit of devotion.

As, then, this prayer, which was delivered to the Apostles from the mouth of our Saviour Christ, ought to be highly regarded by Christians, and is so frequently and familiarly used by ecclesiastics in the Divine office, I have subjoined a few points out of St. Thomas and others for its exposition, from occasional reflection upon which may possibly arise a greater relish and profit from the frequent repetition of the same prayer.

For, in fact, the reason why we but too seldom relish the taste of this, as well as of other spiritual things, is because we are commonly occupied with the outer shell, but seldom or never penetrate to the kernel within.

Our Father, who art in Heaven.

This is the preface of the Lord's Prayer, which aims at captivating God's good-will, and on disposing the suppliant to love and fear, the most suitable affections for prayer.

For if he is a Father, is he not worthy of love? But what kind of love? for our love to him should be measured by the extent of his goodness.

But what is the extent of our Eternal Father's goodness? God is in himself supremely happy, he is the creator of heaven and earth, our Lord and King, and yet he desires to be, and to be esteemed, our Father; and he delights for us in turn, vile worms of the earth and miserable sinners as we are, unworthy to be called his servants, to be, and to be called, his sons. Oh, what love hath the Father bestowed upon us, that we should be called, and be, the sons of God! Oh, immeasurable goodness of the Father! But where is the equal love of the sons?

Consider, too, what fear is due to this Father, who is seated on the throne of his majesty in heaven, yet is everywhere present, beholding severally each secret thing, and governs at once all things in heaven and earth? Great in very truth is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and of his power and greatness there is no end. The cherubim and seraphim stand trembling before him.

See, then, with what love and confidence, and yet with what humility and reverence, you ought to compose your mind when you come to pray.

Next come seven petitions, in which we partly pray for blessings, and partly entreat to be delivered from evils. For, as by prayer we make known our desires, so in the Lord's Prayer we ask for those things which we may lawfully desire. Now that which is the first object of desire is the chief good, the last END. We ask next for the means which are proper for obtaining this end. And lastly, for the removal of those obstacles which stand in the way of our obtaining it.

Lastly, the chief good, and our final end, is God, whose GLORY we desire for its own sake, and from the sole motive of pure love, in saying,

Hallowed be thy name.

That is to say, May thy name, which is most holy and glorious in itself, be also thus esteemed by all. May it be acknowledged by true faith, praised by steadfast hope, and worshipped by pure love. Not that our aid is needed for thy name to be holy; but because it is holy and glorious, and therefore the source and form of all holiness, let the holiness of our conduct declare it so. Let all our actions and behaviour be so framed, that they who see our conversation and the works that we do, may glorify thee, our Father in heaven.

Let this be fixed in our heart, frequent in our mouth, and acceptable in our work: HALLOWED BE THY NAME.

Here is a most easy exercise of purity of intention, to be practised frequently during the day.

After this primary desire, the next is that of the glory of God relatively to ourselves, that we may enjoy it as our highest good. And this affection takes its birth from the love of God, since by it we love ourselves in God; thence we pray,

Thy kingdom come.

We ask this, O Lord, because we are here strangers and exiles from our country, shut out from the most sweet presence of our dear Father, and overloaded with the heavy yoke of the prince of this world. Make us to pant after thee in heaven with our whole heart. Permit us not to love the world or the things that are in the world, but to have a taste for and to seek the things that are above. But when the end of our pilgrimage here is come, make us to despise with a calm and joyful mind this kingdom of the world and all its pomps, and seek the kingdom that is above with an ardent desire; that so we may find with joy that inheritance which has been prepared for us from the beginning of the world, where thou wilt grant us to enjoy thee, and with thee eternal glory for ever.

Now to obtain the Supreme Good, we have need of some other goods besides, as means and props. Of these, obedience to the commands of God is the chief. For he who does not his will, is not fit for the kingdom of God; and he who keeps not the commandments, merits not to enter into life. But without his aid who commands us, how shall we be able to keep them? Hence we rightly pray,

Thy will be done.

For thou, O Lord, knowest that, because the flesh is weak, prone to evil, and wars against the spirit, our spirit, though ready, finds not how to do thy will. For the body, which is corrupted, weighs down the mind, so that from his youth man's senses are almost always more violently inclined to evil than to good. And hence it is that we often know not what to pray for, or how to pray, or what is best for us. But thou knowest this most perfectly, because thou knowest all things. Make us, therefore, to know what thou wouldest have us to do, and so direct our wills by thy efficacious grace according to the good pleasure of thy will, that we may both will what thou willest, and perform cheerfully what thou commandest. GIVE US GRACE TO DO WHAT THOU COMMANDEST, AND COMMAND WHAT THOU PLEASEST.

But that a man may more promptly perform the commands of God, it is also necessary that he should not be altogether destitute of the goods and provisions of this present life. For we are subject to various ills and necessities as long as we bear this mortal body. Therefore we make the petition,

Give us this day our daily bread.

Wilt thou, that is, who openest thy hand, and fillest with blessing every living creature; who feedest the young ravens, and neglectest not the birds of the air, but tenderly watchest over and feedest them—wilt thou abandon to want man, whom thou hast created to thine own image, and by thy most precious blood hast made an heir of heaven? We ask not what may serve to luxury and pleasure, but for food and the supply of our necessities, that we may not be drawn away from thy service by the cares and anxieties of the world. And that we may have strength to serve thee, both in mind and body, feed our souls also with the food of thy word. And above all, strengthen us in the wilderness of this life with the heavenly BREAD of Angels, that we faint not in the way we are travelling to thee, until we feast with thee in thy kingdom.

Here, then, we have the order, the end, and the Author, of the temporal blessings we are to seek.

In the following petitions we pray for the removal of the evils, or hindrances, which impede the attainment of the END. They are chiefly three.

First, the commission of sin; for since in many things we all offend, we ought humbly and frequently to implore the forgiveness of our sins. But it is in vain for him to ask mercy of the Lord, who will not, when he might, show mercy to his neighbour. Bearing this in mind, we rightly use this form of prayer,

Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us.

In many things, alas, we all daily offend. Lord, we perish, unless, according to thy great mercy, thou preserve us. But we know, too, that if a man treasures up anger against his neighbour, in vain he seeks succour from thee. I pardon, therefore, from my heart all my enemies, and, out of my love for thee, I am ready to do good to those who hate me, or who have ever injured me. I am sorry, from the bottom of my heart, that I have offended thee. O Lord, be merciful to my sins.

This is a most easy and excellent method of making frequently an act of contrition.

Another hindrance is temptation, which urges us to sin, and hinders us from following the Divine will. Hence one who is freed from past sins, both dreads and seeks to avoid those which are future. But who can fly from them without the help of God? Therefore, from the knowledge we have of our own weakness, and of the power of so many enemies, to whom our life is always exposed, we pray,

And lead us not into temptation.

We acknowledge, O Lord, that without thee we can do nothing, and that all our sufficiency is of thee; let not, then, thy grace desert us, nor permit us to be driven back, and beaten down by any temptation of the world, the flesh, or the devil. Thou seest our frailty, and the great power and craft of those who tempt thy creatures, so dearly redeemed. We doubt not, that all things are brought about by the loving counsel of thy providence; and that not to suffer, but to be conquered by temptation, is evil. Suffer us not, then, O Lord, to be tempted beyond what we are able, lest perchance we fail under the temptation; but help us to overcome it. Let but thy grace prosper us, and the victory will be easy.

Another hindrance is the punishment we often meet with when freed from guilt. The many adversities of this life, as famine, wars, diseases, loss of property, reputation, life, sometimes affects severely even pious minds. So that we have cause finally to pray,

But deliver us from evil.

That which our feelings incline us to think evil, is not so in reality, and in itself, unless it is made so through our fault. For from thee, O Lord, proceed all things, whether life or death, honour or poverty; how, then, can they be evil, when they proceed from the HIGHEST GOOD? These, however, become evil, not unfrequently, through our fault, that is to say, through our impatience, cowardice, and mistrust. Strengthen us, then, with thy grace and comfort, and make all things work together for good to those that love thee. Here cut and burn me, as a physician the patient who draws his last hope of life from these remedies, however severe. Here correct and chastise me, as a father the son for whom the inheritance is reserved. Nay more, prove, and try, and purify me, as a refiner the gold which is proved in the fire. Refine and harden me, as a potter the vessel destined, not to destruction, but to honour, that so I may be a vessel of glory unto eternal life.

With these, and similar meditations, the Lord's Prayer must be seasoned from time to time; otherwise, what wonder if by many it is often uttered with the lips, but seldom relished in the heart?