Jesus' Gift to His Disciples
A Reflection on Matthew 6:7-15
When Jesus Taught Us to Pray
In Matthew 6:7-15, Jesus gives us something extraordinary: the perfect prayer. After warning against empty repetitions and many words, He teaches His disciples how to truly communicate with the Father. The Catechism calls this "the summary of the whole gospel" (CCC 2761), and Jesus gives this blessed prayer to us.
"Our Father, Who Art in Heaven"
Jesus begins by establishing our relationship with God, not as subjects before a distant king, but as children approaching our loving Father. The Catechism teaches that this address contains the fundamental truth of our Christian identity (CCC 2786). We belong to God's family.
The word "Our" immediately places us in communion with all believers. When we pray, we never pray alone. "Who art in heaven" doesn't describe God's location but His transcendence - He is both infinitely above us and intimately near (CCC 2794).
Following Jesus: Like Jesus, we approach God with confidence and love, knowing we are beloved children.
"Hallowed Be Thy Name"
This first petition asks that God's name be revered and made holy in our world and in our lives. The Catechism reminds us that God's name is already perfectly holy; we pray that it may be hallowed by us and in us (CCC 2807). Our lives should make God's holiness visible to the world.
Following Jesus: We live in ways that honor and reveal God's goodness, making His name sacred through our words and actions.
"Thy Kingdom Come"
We pray for the fullness of God's reign, both in the future and in the present moment. The Catechism teaches that God's kingdom is already present in mystery and will come in glory at the end of times (CCC 2816). But it also comes whenever we choose God's will over our own.
Following Jesus: We participate in building God's kingdom through acts of love, justice, and mercy in our daily lives.
"Thy Will Be Done on Earth as It Is in Heaven"
This petition surrenders our will to God's perfect will. The Catechism explains that God's will is our sanctification and ultimate happiness (CCC 2823). Like Jesus in Gethsemane, we learn to say "not my will, but yours be done" (Luke 22:42).
Following Jesus: We trust God's plan for our lives, even when we don't understand it, following Jesus' example of perfect obedience to the Father.
"Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread"
Here we ask for our material and spiritual needs. The Catechism teaches that this includes all necessities of life, but especially points to the Eucharist - the true Bread of Life (CCC 2837). We learn dependence on God and trust in His provision.
Following Jesus: We rely on God for our needs while sharing what we have with others, trusting in divine providence rather than anxious planning. This is why we should hoard our stuff and our money, trusting fully in God to provide as we continue to GIVE.
"Forgive Us Our Trespasses as We Forgive Those Who Trespass Against Us"
This petition links God's forgiveness of us with our forgiveness of others. The Catechism is very clear: we cannot receive God's forgiveness if we refuse to forgive others (CCC 2838). Forgiveness is both a gift and a command.
Following Jesus: We extend the same mercy we receive from God, forgiving others as Jesus Christ forgave us from the cross. This is why we must embrace humility in our lives and learn to forgive, being humble in that forgiveness, knowing that humility is ultimately our strength, not a weakness in God's eyes.
"Lead Us Not Into Temptation, But Deliver Us from Evil"
The final petition asks for God's protection from sin and the evil one. The Catechism clarifies that God doesn't tempt us, but allows us to be tested for our spiritual growth (CCC 2846). We need divine help to resist temptation and overcome evil.
Following Jesus: We rely on God's strength rather than our own, seeking His protection and deliverance as we face spiritual battles.
The Prayer That Changes Everything
The Our Father isn't just words to recite - it's Jesus' blueprint for Christian living. Each petition shapes how we approach God, ourselves, and others. The Catechism beautifully states that "the Lord's Prayer is truly the summary of the whole gospel" (CCC 2761).
When we pray this prayer authentically, we're not just asking for things - we're being transformed into the image of Christ. We learn to see God as Father, to live for His kingdom, to trust in His will, to depend on His provision, to practice His mercy, and to rely on His protection.
Living the Prayer
Jesus gave us this prayer so we could follow Him more closely. Every time we pray the Our Father, we're invited deeper into the heart of the Gospel. We learn to love as Jesus loved, to trust as Jesus trusted, to forgive as Jesus forgave, and to surrender as Jesus surrendered.
The Our Father is our daily reminder of who we are (God's children), what we're called to do (build His kingdom), and how we're meant to live (in complete dependence on our loving Father).
This is the prayer of the disciples who want to follow Jesus with their whole hearts. This is how we learn to pray, and this is how we learn to live.
"This is how you should pray," Jesus said. And in teaching us to pray, He taught us how to live as His faithful followers.
©2025 James Dacey Jr.
