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The Lord's Prayer: A Prayer to the Holy Trinity

We learned this simple prayer since we are just kids. In my case, I heard first from my parents. it was also taught in my school and in catechism class during the month of May. This is the first prayer that most of us memorized easily, because it is recited in the Holy Mass, included in the Rosary, in novenas, and other Catholic devotionals.


While reciting the Lord's Prayer, one day, at the Holy Mass, I felt, as though, I was not only talking to the Father, it was like I was addressing this prayer to the Father, but also to the Son and the Holy Spirit. Allow me to share my realization of the Lord's Prayer from the gospel of Matthew.

 

To the Father

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.


This part is where we adore the first person of the Trinity, the Father - acknowledging that He is our father, giving praise to Him, proclaiming that He is in heaven and that He is holy, the source of holiness. And with all his might, holiness and goodness, we are asking that He may share it with us, that earth may become an extension of heaven, that not our human will, but His holy will, will prevail.


To the Son

Give us today our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors;


In this part, we are asking the Father to give us food, and not just an ordinary food, but the eternal food, which is Jesus Christ, His Son. Our daily bread is Jesus Christ. As He said in the gospel of John, "I am the bread of life"; "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him." Though it sounds strange, Jesus is telling the truth, literally, that we eat Him, body and blood. And we need Him daily, as the prayer says, "daily bread." And this daily bread is the one who forgives us. There are many events in the gospel, where Jesus forgives a person, and the Pharisees questioned it. So does it mean that only the second person in the Trinity can forgive? No. When Jesus forgives, the Trinity forgives, for they are one. And Jesus is telling us to also forgive those who hurt us. When Peter asked "...how often must I forgive him?", Jesus replied, "...not seven times but seventy-seven times." We go to Jesus to ask and pray for the grace of forgiveness, for He is the one who forgives and the source of forgiveness.


To the Holy Spirit

...and do not subject us to the final test, but deliver us from the evil one.


Before Jesus ascended to heaven, he told his disciples, "The Advocate, the Holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name—he will teach you everything and remind you of all that [I] told you. John 14:26." Therefore for us to resist temptations and the devil, we ask the Holy Spirit to be with us, to work through us, for us to bear fruits."...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Gal 5:22-23." Together with the Holy Spirit, being with us, we bear these fruits to resist the evil.


I hope you're not getting me wrong on this. Isn't this prayer that Jesus himself taught us? So, is He just praying directly to himself? Well, yes, Jesus himself taught us this prayer. In his divine and human nature, He is teaching us to really depend on God. To pray intently, not to use meaningless words, not to pray like the pagans. He taught this prayer to us, desiring to share His mission with us, to bring glory to the Father, Son, and the Spirit.


 

The Lord's Prayer. Matthew 6:9-13 NABRE.

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