THE "OUR FATHER" AND THE COMMANDEMENT OF LOVE

Mt 6:7-15

Of all Jesus’ teachings, the “Our father” is by far the best known and often the most quoted. It is indeed, the one common denominator of all Christians. During my meditation I found out that this “Our Father” can be interpreted as a commentary or explanation of the Great Commandment of Love; as Jesus said: love God and love your neighbor. The deepest foundation of the commandment of love is our divine filiation. Jesus called us to love because we are children of God who is love.

Looking at the “Our Father”, the first part deals with the love of God. It corresponds to the first three commandments of the Decalogue. This part has three petitions: Hollowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done. That is the love of God.

The second part of the “Our Father” concerns the love for self and for others. This part has petitions concerning the basic needs of human life: On the first level, we ask for ourselves and for all humanity our daily sustenance of food. On the second level, we ask for sound relationships through forgiveness. On the third level, we ask for deliverance from evil, that we may never be separated from the Lord. This part corresponds to the second part of the Great Commandment of the Lord: Love your neighbor as yourself.

Two important lessons for us this morning as we continue to meditate upon this prayer. First, giving us this prayer, Jesus did not intend to give us a fixed formula but to show us the spirit of Christian prayer. The spirit behind Christian prayer is total and complete trust in God as our personal Father, who loves His children without condition. As we call God, “Abba” we express our childlike trust and intimate familiarity with God, who knows what we need, who reads our hearts.

Second, when Jesus gives this prayer, he teaches us that prayer is a common thing. The Our Father is the prayer that draws all Christians together. St. Cyprian said: “The Lord, Master of peace and unity, did not want us to pray individually and by ourselves. Our prayer is for everybody.” And Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI said that the word “our” at the beginning of the “Our Father” requires of us to “step out of the closed circle of our “ego.” It requires that we surrender ourselves to communion with others as children of God.” May the Lord, Our Father help us to be his true children.