In the third place, "who art in heaven" can pertain to Him who is in heaven, He who cannot be included in the physical heavens, for "the heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain Thee."[38] And so it can mean that God is all-seeing in His survey of us, in that He sees us from above, that is, from heaven: "Because He hath looked forth from His high sanctuary; from heaven the Lord hath looked upon the earth."[39] It also signifies how sublime is God in His power: "The Lord hath prepared His throne in heaven";[40] and that He lives without change through eternity: "But Thou, O Lord, endurest forever."[41] And again: "Thy years shall not fail."[42] And so of Christ was it written: "His throne as the days of heaven."[43]
The Philosopher says that on account of the incorruptibility of the heavens all have considered them as the abode of spirits.[44] And so "who art in heaven" tends to give us confidence in our prayer which arises from a threefold consideration: of God's power, of our familiarity with Him, and of the fitness of our requests.
The power of Him to whom we pray is implied if we consider "heaven" as the corporeal heavens. God is not limited by any physical bounds: "Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord."[45] Nevertheless, He is said to be in the corporeal heavens to indicate two things: the extent of His power and the greatness of His nature. The former of these attributes is contrary to the view that all things happen out of necessity, by a fate regulated by the celestial bodies; and thus all prayer would be vain and useless. But such is absurd, since God dwells in the heavens as their Lord: "The Lord has prepared His throne in heaven."[46] The latter attribute, viz., His sublime nature, is against those who in praying propose or build up any corporeal images of God. Therefore, God is stated to be "in heaven" in that He exceeds all corporeal things, and even the desires and intellects of men; so that whatsoever man thinks or desires is far less than God. Thus, it is said: "Behold, God is great, exceeding our knowledge."[47] And again: "The Lord is high above all nations."[48] And finally: "To whom then have you likened God? Or what image will you make for Him?"[49]
Familiar intercourse with God is shown through this "in heaven." Some indeed have said that because of His great distance from us God does not care for men, and they cite these words: "He walketh about the poles of heaven, and He doth not consider our things."[50] Against this is the fact that God is nearer to us than we are to ourselves. This brings confidence to one who prays. First, because of the nearness of God: "The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him."[51] Hence, it is written: "But thou when thou shalt pray, enter into thy chamber,"[52] that is, into thy heart. Second, because of the intercession of all the Saints among whom God dwells; for from this arises faith to ask through their merits for what we desire: "Turn to some of the Saints,"[53] and, "Pray one for another, that you may be saved."[54]
This part of the prayer--that is, "in heaven"--is appropriate and fitting also, if "in heaven" is taken to mean that spiritual and eternal good in which true happiness consists. Because of it our desires are lifted up towards heavenly things; since our desires ought to tend towards where we have our Father, because there is our true home: "Seek the things that are above."[55] And again: "Unto an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that cannot fade, reserved in heaven for you."[56] Moreover, from it we are told that, if our life is to be in heaven, then we ought to be conformed to our Heavenly Father: "Such as is the heavenly, such also are they that are heavenly."[57] From all this the words "in heaven" are most appropriate in prayer in that they signify both a heavenly desire and heavenly life.
(For "Questions for Discussion" see Chapter 6.)
ENDNOTES
1. Deut., xxxii. 6. "The first word which, by the command and institution of Our Lord, we say in this prayer is 'Father.' The Saviour could, indeed, have begun this prayer with some other word more expressive of His majesty, such as 'Creator' or 'Lord.' Yet, He omitted all such expressions as they might be associated with fear, and instead of them He has chosen a word which inspires love and confidence. What name is more tender than that of Father? It is a name which expresses both indulgence and love" ("Roman Catechism," Lord's Prayer, Chapter IX, 1). 2. Wis. xiv. 3. 3. "Ibid.," xii. 18. 4. Rom., viii. 17. 5. "Ibid.," 15. 6. Mal., i. 6. 7. Ps. xxix. 13. 8. Isa., xxix. 13. 9. I Cor., vi. 20. 10. Ps. xcviii. 3. 11. Jerem., iii. 19. 12. Eph., v. 1. 13. Luke, vi. 36. 14. Matt., v. 48. 15. Heb., xii. 9. 16. Exod., xxiv. 7. 17. Phil., ii. 8. 18. II Kings, vi. 21. 19. Prov., iii. 11-12. 20. I John, iv. 20. "When we call upon the Father, invoking Him as our Father, we are to understand it as a necessary consequence of the gift and right of divine adoption and that we are all brethren, and should love one another as brothers. 'You are all brethren,' says Our Lord, 'for one is your Father, He that is in heaven' (Matt., xxiii. 8). For this reason the Apostles in their Epistles call the faithful, 'brethren'" ("Roman Catechism," "loc. cit.," 14). 21. Mal., ii. 10. 22. Rom., xii. 10. 23. Heb., v. 9. 24. James, i. 6. 25. Luke, ii. 13. 26. Ps. cxxii. 1. 27. Ecclus., xviii. 23. 28. Matt., v. 12. 29. I Cor., xv. 49. 30. Matt., vi. 21. 31. Phil., iii. 20. 32. Colos., iii. 1. 33. Jerem., xiv. 9. 34. Ps. xvii. 2. 35. Eph., iii. 17. 36. I John, iv. 16. 37. John, xiv. 23. "And... with him" in Vives ed., omitted in Parma ed. 38. III Kings, viii. 27. 39. Ps. ci. 20. 40. Ps. cii. 19. 41. Ps. ci. 13. 42. "Ibid.," 28. 43. Ps. lxxxviii. 30. 44. Aristotle, "De Coelo," 1. 45. Jerem., xxiii. 24. 46. Ps. cii. 19. 47. Job. xxxvi. 26. 48. Ps. cxii. 4 49. Isa., xl. 18. 50. Job, xxii. 14. 51. Ps. cxliv. 18. 52 Matt., vi. 6. 53 Job, v. 1. 54. James, v. 16. 55. Col., iii. 1. 56. I Pet., i. 4. 57. I Cor., xv. 48.
THE FIRST PETITION: "Hallowed Be Thy Name."
This is the first petition, and in it we ask that God's name be manifested and declared in us. The name of God, first of all, is wonderful because it works wonders in all creatures. Thus said Our Lord: "In My name they shall cast out devils, they shall speak new tongues. They shall take up serpents; and if they shall drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them."[1]
GOD'S NAME IS LOVABLE
This name is lovable: "There is no other name under heaven given to men, whereby we must be saved."[2] We all should desire to be saved. We have an example in Blessed Ignatius, who had such great love for the name of Christ that, when Trajan ordered him to deny it, he affirmed that it could not be dragged from his mouth. Then, the emperor threatened to have him beheaded, and thus take the name of Christ out of the mouth of the Saint. But Ignatius replied: "Even though you take it from my mouth, you will never snatch it from my heart. I have this name written in my heart and there I never cease to invoke it." Trajan heard this and wished to put it to the test. He had the servant of God beheaded and then commanded that his heart be taken out, and there upon the heart was found the name of Christ inscribed in letters of gold. This name had been engraved on the heart as a seal.
GOD'S NAME IS VENERABLE
The name of God is venerable: "In the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth."[3] "Those that are in heaven" refers to the Angels and the blessed; "those that are on earth" to people living in this world, who do so for love of heaven which they wish to gain; "those under the earth" to the damned, who do so out of fear.
GOD'S NAME IS INEFFABLE
This name is ineffable, for in the telling of it every tongue is wholly inadequate. Accordingly, it is sometimes compared to created things as, for instance, it is likened to a rock because of its firmness: "Upon this rock I will build My Church."[4] It is likened to a fire because of its purifying power; for as fire purifies metal, so does God purify the hearts of sinners: "My God is a consuming fire."[5] It is compared to light because of its power of enlightening; for as light illumines the darkness, so does the name of God overcome the darkness of the mind: "O my God, enlighten my darkness."[6]
MEANING OF HALLOWED
We pray that this name may be manifested in us, that it be known and revered as holy. Now "holy" (or hallowed) may have a threefold meaning. First, it is the same as firm. Thus, those who are firmly established in eternal happiness are all the blessed in heaven, the Saints. In this sense, none is a "Saint" on earth because here all is continually changeable. As St. Augustine says: "I sank away from Thee, O Lord, and I wandered too much astray from Thee who art my firm support."[7]
Secondly, "holy" may be understood as "unearthly." The holy ones who are in heaven have naught earthly about them: "I count (all things)... but as dung, that I may gain Christ."[8] Earth may signify sinners. This would arise as reference to production. For if the earth is not cultivated, it will produce thorns and thistles. Similarly, if the soul of the sinner is not cultivated by grace, it will produce only thistles and thorns of sins: "Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to thee."[9] Again, earth may signify sinners as regards its darkness. The earth is dark and opaque; and so also is the sinner dark and obstructive to light: "Darkness was on the face of the deep."[10] And, finally, earth is a dry element which will fall to pieces unless it is mixed with the moisture of water. So God placed earth just above water: "Who established the earth above the waters."[11] So also the soul of the sinner is dry and without moisture as it is said: "My soul is as earth without water unto Thee."[12]
"Holy" may, finally, be understood as "laved in blood," since the Saints in heaven are called Saints because they have been washed in blood: "These are they who are come out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and have made them white in the blood of the Lamb."[13] And again: "He hath washed us from our sins in His blood."[14]
(For "Questions for Discussion" see Chapter 6.)
ENDNOTES
1. Mark, xiv. 17-18. 2. Acts. iv. 12. 3. Phil., ii. 10. 4. Matt., xvi. 18. 5. Deut., iv. 24. 6. Ps. xvii. 29. 7. "Confessions," II, x. 8. Phil., iii. 8. 9. Gen., iii. 18. 10. Gen., i. 2. 11. Ps. cxxxv. 6. 12. Ps. cxlii. 6. 13. Apoc., vii. 14. 14. "Ibid.," i. 5.
THE SECOND PETITION: "Thy Kingdom Come."
The Holy Spirit makes us love, desire and pray rightly; and instills in us, first of all, a fear whereby we ask that the name of God be sanctified. He gives us another gift, that of piety. This is a devout and loving affection for our Father and for all men who are in trouble. Now, since God is our Father, we ought not only reverence and fear Him, but also have towards Him a sweet and pious affection. This love makes us pray that the kingdom of God may come: "We should live soberly and justly in this world, looking for the blessed hope and coming of the glory of the great God."[1]