6—3
Mt 6:9-15
9. Thus therefore shall you pray: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. 10. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11. Give us this day our supersubstantial bread. 12. And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. 13. And lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil. Amen. 14. For if you will forgive men their offences, your heavenly Father will forgive you also your offences. 15. But if you will not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive you your offences.
(9) Thus therefore shall you pray . Above, the Lord taught the manner of praying, namely, that we should avoid both the vanity of the hypocrites and the wordiness of the gentiles; here he teaches what we ought to seek in prayer, and regarding this he does two things: first, the title of the prayer is given; secondly, the prayer is set forth. He connects with the preceding thus: I said, when you are praying, speak not much , etc.; therefore, that you may speak briefly, thus shall you pray .
And note that the Lord does not say "this you shall pray," but thus shall you pray ; for he does not forbid us to pray in other words, but he teaches the manner of praying. And as Augustine says in his book on prayer to Proba: "No one prays as he ought unless he asks for something of those things which are contained in the Lord's Prayer." Moreover, it is fitting that we pray in these words because, as Cyprian says in his book on the Lord's Prayer, "it is a friendly and familiar prayer to ask the Lord for what is his own"; and he gives the example that it is customary among advocates who put words in the mouths of those who must speak in court. Hence this prayer is the safest, as having been composed by our advocate who is most wise, "in whom are all the treasures" (Col 2:3). Hence Cyprian says: "Since we have Christ as advocate with the Father for our sins, when we petition for our offenses, let us put forth the words of our advocate." "We have an advocate" (1 Jn 2:1); therefore it is said: "Let us approach with confidence" (Heb 4:16); "But let him ask in faith" (Jas 1:6).
And this prayer has three qualities: brevity, perfection, and efficacy. Brevity, for two reasons: that all might learn it easily, both the small and the great, because "he is Lord of all, rich toward all" (Rom 10:12); secondly, that he might give confidence of easily obtaining. It is also perfect, hence Isaiah (10:23): "A short word"; and, as Augustine says, whatever can be contained in other prayers is entirely contained in this one; hence he says that "if we pray fittingly and rightly, whatever words we may say, we say nothing other than what is placed in the Lord's Prayer." "The works of God are perfect" (Dt 32:4). It is efficacious, because "prayer," according to Damascene, "is a petition for fitting things from God." "You ask and do not receive" (Jas 4:3). But to know what should be asked is most difficult, just as also what should be desired: "For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself" (Rom 8:26). And because God taught this prayer, it is therefore most efficacious; and therefore it is said: "Lord, teach us" (Lk 11:1).
The Lord, moreover, does two things in this prayer: first, he sets forth the prayer; secondly, he assigns the reason for the prayer, at the words: For if you will forgive .
It should be known that in every oration, even those of rhetoricians, before the petition, goodwill is sought. Hence, just as is done in an oration addressed to men, similarly it should be done in prayer addressed to God, but with a different intention; for in man, goodwill is sought insofar as we sway his mind; in God, insofar as we elevate our mind to him. The Lord therefore sets forth two things for securing goodwill which are necessary for one who prays: for it is necessary that he believe both that the one from whom he asks is willing to give and that he is able; and therefore he sets forth Father and who art in heaven . That he says Father is valuable for five things. First, for the instruction of faith; for faith is necessary for one who prays.
Now there were three errors by which prayer was excluded: two entirely destroyed prayer, and the third attributed more than it should. And these are excluded by what he says: Our Father . For some said that God has no care for human affairs: "The Lord has forsaken the land" (Ez 9:9); hence according to this, anything is asked of God in vain. Others said that God has providence, but that providence imposes necessity on things. The third error attributed too much, because it said that God disposes all things by his providence, but that through prayer the divine disposition is changed.
These errors are excluded by what he says: Our Father who art in heaven ; for if he is Father , he has providence: "But you, Father" (Wis 14:3). Likewise, the second error is excluded; for "father" is said in relation to a son, and "lord" in relation to a servant; therefore, in saying Father , we call ourselves free. For hardly ever in Sacred Scripture is God called the father of non-rational creatures, although otherwise Job (38:28) says: "Who is the father of the rain?" Therefore "father" is said in relation to a son, and through this we call ourselves free; for a son has the character of freedom; therefore necessity is not imposed upon us.
By saying who art in heaven , a changeable disposition is excluded. Prayer is valuable so that we believe that God disposes all things according to what befits the natures of things; for it is from providence that man attains his end through his own acts. Hence prayer neither changes providence nor lies outside providence, but falls under it. First, therefore, it is valuable for the instruction of faith. Secondly, for the uplifting of hope; for if he is Father , he is willing to give, because, as below (7:11): If you then, being evil , etc. Thirdly, for the stirring up of charity; for it is natural that a father love his son and vice versa: "Be imitators" (Eph 5:1); therefore through this we are provoked to imitation, for a son ought to imitate his father as much as he can: "You shall call me Father" (Jer 3:19). Fourthly, we are provoked to humility: "If I am Father" (Mal 1:6). Fifthly, through this our affection is ordered toward our neighbor: "Have we not all one Father?" (Mal 2:10).
But why do we not say "my Father"? There is a twofold reason: first, because Christ wished to reserve this to himself as something proper to him, since he is Son by nature, whereas we are sons by adoption, which is common to all: "I ascend to my Father" (Jn 20:17); secondly, because, according to Chrysostom, the Lord teaches us not to make individual prayers but to pray in common for the whole people, which prayer is indeed more acceptable to God. Hence Chrysostom: "Sweeter before God is the prayer which is sent forth not by necessity but by charity." "Pray for one another" (Jas 5:16).
The second thing pertaining to securing goodwill is: who art in heaven . This is expounded in two ways. First, literally, so that we understand the corporeal heavens — not that he is enclosed there, because: "Do I not fill heaven and earth?" (Jer 23:24) — but it is said on account of the eminence of that creature, according to Isaiah (66:1): "Heaven is my throne." Likewise, through this those who cannot be raised above corporeal things are instructed; and therefore Augustine says that this is the reason why we adore facing the East, because from the East the heaven rises; and just as the heaven is above our body, so God is above our spirit. Hence it is given to understand that our spirit should be turned to God himself, just as our body is turned toward the heaven in praying. He says, moreover, who art in heaven , so that your intention may be lifted up from earthly things: "To an inheritance incorruptible" (1 Pet 1:4).
Or by "heavens" are understood the saints, according to Isaiah (1:2): "Hear, O heavens"; "But you dwell in the holy place" (Ps 22:3). And he says this for greater confidence of obtaining, because he is not far from us: "You are in our midst, O Lord" (Jer 14:9).
Hallowed be thy name . Here the petitions are set forth, and let us speak of them first in general, then in particular. In these petitions we must consider three things; for a petition serves desire, since we petition for what we wish to have. In this prayer, moreover, is contained everything that we can desire; secondly, there is contained the order in which we ought to desire; thirdly, these petitions correspond both to the gifts and to the beatitudes.
It should be known that man naturally desires two things, namely, to attain good and to avoid evil. Four goods are set forth here as desirable. Desire, moreover, tends first to the end rather than to the things that are for the end; but the ultimate end of all is God. Hence the first desirable thing should be the honor of God: "Do all things for the glory of God" (1 Cor 10:31); and this we ask first here: hallowed be thy name . Among those things which pertain to us, the ultimate end is eternal life; and this we ask when we say: Thy kingdom come . The third thing we ought to ask is about the things that are for the end, namely, that we have virtue and good merits, and this at the words: Thy will be done ; and what we ask about virtues is nothing other than this. Therefore our beatitude is ordered to God, and our virtues to beatitude. But it is necessary to have assistance, whether temporal or spiritual, such as the sacraments of the Church, and this we ask at the words our bread , whether exterior or sacramental. In these four, every good is contained. But man avoids evil insofar as it impedes good. The first good, namely, the divine honor, cannot be impeded; for if justice is done, God is honored; if evil, he is likewise honored insofar as he punishes it, although he is not honored as far as the sinner is concerned. But sin impedes beatitude, and therefore he first removes this when he says: and forgive us . Against the good of virtues stands temptation, and therefore we ask: and lead us not . Any deficiency against the necessity of life — and this is: but deliver us . It is clear, therefore, that whatever is desired, the Lord's Prayer entirely contains.
And it should be known that the gifts of the Holy Spirit can be applied to these petitions, but in diverse ways, because ascending and descending: ascending, so that the first petition is applied to fear, which produces poverty of spirit and makes one seek the honor of God; and therefore we say hallowed be thy name . Descending, so that we say that the last gift, namely, wisdom, which makes sons of God, is applied to this petition. But let us look at this petition: hallowed be thy name .
It seems, however, to be unfitting, for the name of God is always holy. And it should be known that this is expounded in many ways by the saints. First, by Augustine, and I believe this is more literal: hallowed be , i.e., may the name that is always holy appear holy among men; and this is to honor God, for from this, glory does not increase for God, but knowledge of him increases for us: "As in our sight" (Sir 36:4). And it is quite fitting that after Our Father who art in heaven , he says hallowed be thy name , because nothing so proves sons of God, for a good son manifests the honor of his father. According to Chrysostom: hallowed be , through our works — as if to say: make us live in such a way that from our works your name may appear holy (1 Pet 3:15). Or, according to Cyprian: hallowed be , i.e., sanctify us in your name: "Sanctify them in your name" (Jn 17:17); "And he shall be for you" (Is 8:14).
And it should be known that hallowed be is understood in the first place so that those who are not holy may become holy, for this prayer is made for the whole human race. Secondly, hallowed be , i.e., may they persevere in holiness. Thirdly, hallowed be , so that if anything has been mixed into their holiness, it may be removed; for daily we need sanctification on account of daily sins.
(10) Thy kingdom come . This petition can correspond either to the gift of understanding, which cleanses the heart, or to the gift of piety. Thy kingdom come . According to Chrysostom and Augustine, the kingdom of God is eternal life, and I believe this is the literal exposition. We ask, therefore, Thy kingdom come , i.e., make us arrive at and share in eternal beatitude: "Come, blessed of my Father" (Mt 25:34); "I dispose to you a kingdom" (Lk 22:29).
Or, in another way, also according to Augustine: Thy kingdom come — Christ began to reign from the time he redeemed the world: "All power has been given to me" (Mt 28:18). Thy kingdom come , therefore, i.e., the consummation of your kingdom. And this will be when he places his enemies under his feet. Hence, Thy kingdom come , i.e., Lord, come to judgment so that the glory of your kingdom may appear: "When these things begin to happen" (Lk 21:28). And the saints desire the coming of Christ, because then they will possess perfect glory: "Not only to me, but also to those" who love his appearing (2 Tim 4:8);
but the contrary is said: "Woe to those who desire the day of the Lord" (Am 5:18); because, according to Jerome, it is only for a secure conscience not to fear the judge.
Or, Thy kingdom come , i.e., may the kingdom of sin be destroyed, and you, Lord, reign over us; for when we serve justice, God reigns; but when we serve sin, the devil reigns: "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body" (Rom 6:12); "They have not rejected you" (1 Sam 8:7).
And note that they could quite justly ask Thy kingdom come , who had proved themselves sons by saying Our Father , etc.; for the inheritance is owed to sons. But this kingdom is in heaven, and therefore you cannot go there unless you become heavenly. And therefore he consequently adds: Thy will be done , i.e., make us be imitators of the heavenly: "Just as we have borne the image" (1 Cor 15:49).
And note that he does not say Thy will be done as though God should do our will, but as though his will should be fulfilled through us, which "wills all men to be saved" (1 Tim 2:4; 1 Thess 4:3): "Teach me to do your will" (Ps 143:10); in which the error of Pelagius is destroyed, who said that we did not need divine help.