THE SEVEN PETITIONS OF THE OUR FATHER PRAYER

Many people struggle in their attempt to keep their minds focused on the words of the “Our Father” prayer.  This is partially due to it being repeated so often during the rosary and in conjunction with other prayers.  However, it is also because we are easily distracted and have the tendency to mix all the words together in our mind rather than concentrating on different phrases separately.  This lent I decided to try to increase my attention while saying the prayer, and as a result of this my mind dwelt more and more on the words and their meaningfulness. 

After much contemplation, I came to understand in more depth why the Our Father is the perfect prayer.  It consists of not only one prayer but several, and within it is included all that is necessary for life and salvation.  After discovering all of this I thought others might also profit from considering this in more depth.  So, without further ado, here is a short list explaining the seven spiritual acts of prayer contained in the Our Father prayer:

1 – By the words “Our Father Who Art in Heaven”, we make a profession of Faith declaring God as our Father, that He is the God of goodness and salvation, and that He is the way to eternal happiness.

2 – By the words “Hallowed be Thy Name”, we give God ultimate praise, worship, and adoration; declaring that even merely His name is holy and ought to be spoken with fear and reverence.

3 – By the words “Thy Kingdom Come”, we declare our fidelity and loyalty to God and that we desire that God should reign over everything that exists.

4 – By the words “Thy Will be Done on Earth as It is in Heaven”, we give up our own will, petition that God’s will be perfected throughout the earth, and we become true servants of the Most High God.  As a result of this, our actions gain more merit and graces for ourselves and others, peace enters into our souls, and we find ourselves on the path to heaven.

5 – By the words “Give us This Day Our Daily Bread” we ask God to give us all that is necessary in order to survive in this world; including not only our physical needs but also our spiritual needs as well. 

6 – By the words “Forgive Us Our Trespasses as We Forgive Those Who Trespass Against Us” we ask God’s pardon for our sins against Him and declare that we will do penance for our faults by forgiving our neighbor’s offenses against us.

7 – By the words “Lead Us Not Into Temptation But Deliver Us From Evil” we ask God to watch over us through all the trials we may face in this life and ask Him to protect us from the snares of the devil.