This holy, excellent and most efficacious prayer forms a part of the Rosary, and we will give it our consideration, in order the better to understand it, to appreciate it more fully, and to say it more devoutly.

I. The “Our Father” consists of a preface and seven petitions.  The preface is intended to lift up our thoughts to God.  Holy Scripture admonishes us to such preparation, “Before prayer, prepare thy soul:  and be not as a man that tempteth God” (Eccles. xviii, 23).  When beginning to pray we should present to our mind God as He is enthroned in heaven.  We should approach God in humility and reverence with childlike confidence and love.  Thus prepared for prayer we will be pleasing to God.  To give our mind this disposition is the purpose of the preface:  “Our Father, who art in heaven.”  Hence this preface should be said with devotion and piety.

The seven petitions of the “Our Father” contain everything a Christian ought and may ask for.  But what may and should a Christian ask for?  For all things necessary and serviceable for the proper fulfilment of his life work.  This prayer contains petitions for everything necessary for the attainment of the last end for which we were created, and that is, in the first place, the glorification of God, and, in the second place, our eternal salvation.  In the first four petitions Christ teaches us and commands us to beseech for the things that pertain to this last end, and in the last three petitions for protection against the things which hinder the attainment of this end.

1.  The glory of God is the first and chief purpose of all creation, as also of redemption and sanctification.  It should be the occupation of all mankind, as it is the occupation of the blessed in heaven.  We glorify God when we recognize Him as the highest good; when we love Him above all things, with a childlike love, serve Him faithfully, worship Him in all our thoughts, words and actions.  As we are unable to do this by our own strength we must seek the assistance of grace, which we do in the words of the first petition:  “Hallowed be Thy name.”  By the words “Thy name” must be understood here, God himself, as He has revealed Himself to us and this petition is equivalent to saying:  “Thou, O God, shalt be glorified by us and by all mankind.”  We ask in the first petition that God may not be blasphemed, but rightly known, truly loved and duly revered.  We implore God in this petition to enlighten the heathen that yet stand in the shadow of death, and all unbelievers and heretics, that they may learn to know and adore Him; and to grant sincere conversion to all sinners.  We also ask, for ourselves and our fellow Christians, the grace to grow in the knowledge of God, in His love and service and in Christian perfection, so that thereby God may ever be glorified more and more.  A truly Christian life is our highest glorification of God, hence to obtain this grace we must diligently pray.