See CCC §2765 – 2766
This prayer, composed personally by our Lord Jesus is short, can be easily memorized, and contains all we need or can ask for. It contains acts of the most sublime virtues and expresses sentiments of the highest perfection. When Jesus explained the manner in which we should pray his disciples said to him: “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples” (Lk 11:1). Jesus answered them, “Pray then like this: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our debts, As we also have forgiven our debtors; And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil” (Matt 6:9:15).
This prayer contains seven petitions, introduced by the words, “Our Father who art in heaven.” God is our Father, both by creation and by adoption; and we are hereby admonished that we should go to him with confidence, as children to a good and loving Father, that we are all brethren, and that we should pray for one another as members of the same family. “…pray for one another that you may be healed…. The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects.” (Jas 5:16).
First Petition: What do we pray for when we say: “Hallowed be thy name?” We pray for the greater honor and glory of God, or that we may all praise, love, and serve God because of his divine Perfections, and, in order that we may be enabled to do so, we beg in the next petition that he would come and establish his kingdom in our hearts.
Second Petition: What do we pray for when we say: “Thy kingdom come?” We pray that God will come into our hearts and reign there by his grace. We pray also, that he would rule all our actions and lead us in the path of virtue and righteousness, which would make us true members of his spiritual kingdom here on earth, as a sure means of bringing us to his eternal kingdom in heaven. In order that we may be worthy of that heavenly kingdom, we next pray that we may, in all things, accomplish his holy will.
Third Petition: What do we pray for when we say: “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven?” Considering that in the kingdom of heaven for which we have prayed, the Saints always do God’s will, we pray that we may always do the same. The divine will should be the rule of all our actions: “My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to accomplish his work” (Jn 4:34). When we repeat this petition, we should at the same time, resolve to do what we pray for, and as a means of being enabled to do God’s holy will, we next pray for a continual supply of his graces for the daily spiritual food of our souls.
Fourth Petition: What do we pray for when we say: “Give us this day our daily bread?” We pray for the daily supply of all our needs, both corporal and spiritual, and thereby acknowledge our total dependence on God. As to corporal needs, we are admonished to be content with necessities, and for these we rely entirely on God’s providence. “Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow” (Matt 6:34). “If we have food and clothing, with these we shall be content” (1 Tim 6:8). As to spiritual needs, we pray for divine grace as being our daily spiritual food, without which the soul languishes and dies in sin. We pray for the Blessed Eucharist; that “bread of life,” (Jn 6:48, 52), in which we receive Jesus himself who is our strength to do every good work. Conscience tells us that we are sinners and as such, are unworthy of this great blessing; therefore, we beg forgiveness in the next petition.
Fifth Petition: What do we pray for when we say: “and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us?” Knowing ourselves to be sinners, subject to daily weaknesses and transgressions (for “For we all make many mistakes” (Jas 3:2), we pray daily for God’s forgiveness. This petition shows the necessity of forgiving others, Christ having made this forgiveness a condition of our obtaining forgiveness from God: “but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matt 6:15). Having asked for forgiveness for past sins, we pray that we might not sin again.
Sixth Petition: What do we pray for when we say: “And lead us not into temptation?” We beg God either to preserve us from temptation or to strengthen us in times of temptation. In the words of Saint Paul, we pray that, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” (1 Cor 10:13). God does not tempt us to sin, but he permits us to be tempted in our trials. As long as we are living in this world, we can never be free of temptations, for we are engaged in spiritual warfare (1 Tim 1:18). But in this warfare, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor 12:9).
Seventh Petition: What do we pray for when we say: “But deliver us from evil?” Having prayed for the forgiveness of past sins, and that we might not sin again, we then beg God to be delivered from the consequences of sin; from all the evils of body and soul. Regarding temporal evils, such as sickness, losses, famine, etc., we should pray with the spirit of resignation as our Lord did, “Not my will, but thine, be done (Lk 22:42). Resignation, patient suffering, and a penitential spirit can convert these evils into real good. But the evils from which we principally pray to be delivered are the punishments of sin in the next life.
“Amen.” Having prayed for all we can need, we confirm our prayer by saying: “Amen.” This word is called by Saint Jerome “The seal of the Lord’s Prayer. It means “so be it; i.e., may God grant these petitions.
Never let a day pass without saying this prayer. The words “this day” and “daily,” show that it is intended to be said at least every day. Say it often, and attentively, devoutly, and slowly in order to enter into the spirit and meaning of it. If you do so, it will be a source of many graces and blessings to you.