Jesus Taught us to Pray USCCA Chapter 36 Monday, September 14, 2015Monday, September 14, 2015Monday, September 14, 2015Monday, September 14, 2015

Session 2: Jesus Taught us to Prayer September 14, 2015September 14, 2015September 14, The Our Father is also known as the ”Lord’s Prayer” because it comes from Jesus Himself. a.The Our Father is found in the Gospel of St. Matthew and the Gospel of St. Luke. b.It is at the heart of every individual and communal prayer.

Session 2: Jesus Taught us to Prayer September 14, 2015September 14, 2015September 14, “Our Father”: a.Jesus revealed God to us as our heavenly Father. b.Jesus called God ‘Abba’, denoting a close, personal, intimate friendship with the Father.

Session 2: Jesus Taught us to Prayer September 14, 2015September 14, 2015September 14, “Our Father”: c.While God has no gender like human beings, He is above all earthly categories of ‘father’ and is the source of all fatherhood. d.The word ‘Our’ implies that we are a people untied by God in the New Covenant, in communion with each other and the Holy Spirit.

Session 2: Jesus Taught us to Prayer September 14, 2015September 14, 2015September 14, “Who Art in Heaven”: a.Heaven is not a place but the majesty and presence of God in the hearts of the just. b.Heaven is the culmination of our relationship with God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit).

Session 2: Jesus Taught us to Prayer September 14, 2015September 14, 2015September 14, The seven petitions of the ‘Our Father’ are: a.Hallowed by Thy Name. i.We do not make God holy, but rather we recognize Him as the source of all holiness. ii.God’s name was revealed slowly in the Scriptures. iii.In Baptism we become God’s children and can call Him ‘Father’.

Session 2: Jesus Taught us to Prayer September 14, 2015September 14, 2015September 14, The seven petitions of the ‘Our Father’ are: b.Thy kingdom come. i.The Kingdom of God is based on Christ-like love. ii.While the Kingdom is here because of Christ, we await its fulfillment at the end of the age.

Session 2: Jesus Taught us to Prayer September 14, 2015September 14, 2015September 14, The seven petitions of the ‘Our Father’ are: c.Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. i.We ask our Father to unite our will with the will of Jesus. ii.We do God’s will by answering Jesus’ call to discipleship and by living lives of faith.

Session 2: Jesus Taught us to Prayer September 14, 2015September 14, 2015September 14, The seven petitions of the ‘Our Father’ are: d.Give us this day our daily bread. i.This refers to our daily nourishment for our bodies. ii.This also refers to our spiritual nourishment received in the Eucharist. iii.This includes asking God to take care of our material needs, also challenging us to take care of the poor.

Session 2: Jesus Taught us to Prayer September 14, 2015September 14, 2015September 14, The seven petitions of the ‘Our Father’ are: e.Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. i.We beg God for His forgiveness and mercy. ii.The condition for receiving this mercy is our forgiveness of our enemies.

Session 2: Jesus Taught us to Prayer September 14, 2015September 14, 2015September 14, The seven petitions of the ‘Our Father’ are: f.And lead us not into temptation. i.We ask God to not allow us to fall into the path of sin. ii.This petition calls us to grow in virtue. iii.We ask the Holy Spirit for the grace to resist temptation and avoid the near occasion of sin.

Session 2: Jesus Taught us to Prayer September 14, 2015September 14, 2015September 14, The seven petitions of the ‘Our Father’ are: g.But deliver us from evil. i.Evil is real. It has begun with the fall of Satan and now has the possibility to separate us from God at the expense of our salvation. ii.The petition entrusts us to God so the devil will not lead us to sin.

Session 2: Jesus Taught us to Prayer September 14, 2015September 14, 2015September 14, The Final Doxology: a.This concludes the Lord’s Prayer, and was added to the “Our Father” by the Church. b.As words of praise, they echo the first three petitions.

Session 2: Jesus Taught us to Prayer September 14, 2015September 14, 2015September 14, The Final Doxology: c.‘Amen’, means ‘so be it’; it summarizes our response to God in which we give our complete selves to Him.

Session 2: Jesus Taught us to Prayer September 14, 2015September 14, 2015September 14, As Christians, there should be a profound connection between the beliefs of the Church and our prayer life. a.The two are inseparable and support each other. b.Prayer requires effort on our part.

Session 2: Jesus Taught us to Prayer September 14, 2015September 14, 2015September 14, As Christians, there should be a profound connection between the beliefs of the Church and our prayer life. c.Prayer is a matter of the heart, which is at the very center of ourselves. d.Doctrine is not purely an academic endeavor; it is intimately connected with the Person of Jesus.

Session 2: Jesus Taught us to Prayer September 14, 2015September 14, 2015September 14, 2015 For Discussion: 1.How is the Lord’s Prayer a summary of the Gospel? 2.How can the Lord’s Prayer help a person who has had a difficult relationship with his/her own father? How could you help a person who has had a difficult relationship with their earthly fathers grow in their love for God as Father? 3.How can our recitation of the word ‘Amen’ become less rote and have more meaning and appreciation?