THE LORD'S PRAYER

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 our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.

In this petition we return to Him as a prodigal son and begin our confession as sinners and need of mercy. Our hope is firm for in his Son, we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. There is a condition here: this mercy can only fill our hearts if we have forgiven those who have trespassed against us!

Remember the verses that follow the Our Father in Matthew: For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses (Matthew 6:14-15). Pope John Paul ll reminds us: "Forgiveness is the key to peace!"

And lead us not into temptation

This petition asks God not to allow us to take the path that leads to sin. This petition implores the Spirit for discernment and strength in the battle between flesh and spirit. The Holy Spirit makes us discern between trials, necessary for the growth of the inner man, and temptation, which leads to sin and death. Discernment unmasks the lie of temptation. This petition also requests the grace of vigilance and final perseverance.

But deliver us from evil

This last petition to our Father is included in the prayer of Jesus, and we pray in communion with the Church for the deliverance of the whole human family. Evil is not an abstraction but a person, satan, the evil one, the deceiver of the world. Victory over the prince of this world was won once and for all at the Hour when Jesus freely gave himself up to death to give us his life. Along with the deliverance from the evils that overwhelm humanity, the Church implores the precious gift of peace and the grace of perseverance in expectation of Christ's return.