The Prayer Jesus Gave Us

Sometimes, in the rhythm of Mass or our private prayer, we rush through the Our Father almost without thinking. The words are familiar, comforting — but if we’re not careful, they can roll off our tongues faster than they reach our hearts. Yet this prayer, taught to us by Jesus Himself, is not meant to be recited quickly. It is meant to be lived. Each line carries the depth of our faith, the heart of our relationship with God, and the map for how we are to live as His children. Let’s slow down together and listen again to what we are truly saying when we pray:

“Our Father, who art in heaven.” Jesus begins not with My Father, but Our Father — reminding us that faith is never lived in isolation. We belong to a family, God’s family. When we say Our Father, we acknowledge every soul as our brother or sister. God is not distant or abstract — He is a loving Father who dwells in heaven, yet walks beside us here on earth.

“Hallowed be Thy name.” We ask that God’s name — His very being — be made holy in our lives. We honor His name not only with our lips, but with the way we live. Every act of love, forgiveness, and compassion makes His name “hallowed” in the world.

“Thy kingdom come.” This is a prayer of surrender. We are asking that God’s kingdom — His will, His justice, His mercy — reign in our hearts and in the world around us. It’s not about building our kingdom or chasing our plans, but letting His kingdom take root in all we do.

“Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” These are some of the hardest words to pray honestly. We often want our will to be done, not God’s. But Jesus prayed these same words in the Garden of Gethsemane. When we pray them, we are uniting ourselves with His obedience and trust, even when we don’t understand the path before us.

“Give us this day our daily bread.” We ask not for abundance, but for enough — enough strength, enough hope, enough faith for today. The “daily bread” is more than food; it is Christ Himself, who sustains us in the Eucharist and in every moment of life.

“And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Forgiveness is the heartbeat of this prayer. We cannot receive mercy and hold back mercy at the same time. When we forgive, we open our hearts to the freedom and peace that only God can give.

“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” We acknowledge our weakness and need for God’s protection. Evil is real, and temptation is constant — but God’s power is greater. He does not abandon us in the struggle; He walks with us and gives us strength to resist.

Every time we pray the Our Father, we are invited to slow down, breathe, and truly speak to our loving Father — not with hurried words, but with open hearts. It is more than a prayer; it is the pattern of Christian living.

A Prayer for the Week Father, help us to pray the words Your Son taught us with reverence and understanding. May each line of the Our Father shape our hearts, deepen our trust, and draw us closer to You. Amen.

Blessings, Deacon Mike