MATTHEW 6:9–15
THE LORD’S PRAYER
Introduction
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches that prayer must be sincere, humble, and directed to the Father who sees in secret. Immediately after warning against hypocrisy and empty verbosity, He gives the Church the perfect model of prayer: the Lord’s Prayer. It is not merely a formula to recite, but a complete school of Christian spirituality. In these few lines, Jesus reveals our identity as children, our mission as seekers of the Kingdom, our dependence on daily providence, our need for mercy, and our call to forgive. The concluding teaching makes it clear that forgiveness is not optional; it is essential for life with God.
Bible Passage (Matthew 6:9–15)
“This is how you are to pray:
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread;
and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors;
and do not subject us to the final test, but deliver us from the evil one.
If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you.
But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”
Background
This passage flows directly from Jesus’ instruction on authentic prayer (Mt 6:5–8). The Lord rejects prayer done for display and prayer that becomes mere repetition. In place of both, He gives a prayer rooted in the Old Testament hope of God’s name being honored, His Kingdom established, and His will fulfilled. At the same time, Jesus introduces something new and intimate: we address God as Father. This prayer gathers covenant faith, prophetic longing, and salvation history into one divine gift for the disciples of the Kingdom.
Opening Life Connection
Many people pray only in moments of fear or need, and even then they struggle to find words. Others pray regularly but feel distracted or uncertain whether they are praying “correctly.” Jesus answers both struggles by giving us a prayer that is simple, complete, and deeply personal. When life is confusing, the Lord’s Prayer puts us back in the right place: we are children speaking to a Father, trusting His providence, seeking His Kingdom, and choosing mercy over resentment.
Verse-by-Verse / Phrase-by-Phrase Reflection
“This is how you are to pray.”
Jesus does not merely encourage prayer; He forms His disciples in prayer. The Lord’s Prayer is both a model and a map.
“Our Father in heaven.”
Prayer begins with relationship. God is not a distant force but Father. “Our” also teaches that Christian prayer is never selfish; it is always ecclesial, shared, and communal in spirit.
“Hallowed be your name.”
We ask that God’s name be honored—not because God lacks glory, but because the world often dishonors Him. This petition is a call for holiness in our lives, so that our speech, choices, and witness give reverence to His name.
“Your kingdom come.”
This is the longing for God’s reign: the triumph of truth, justice, mercy, and peace. The Kingdom is already present in Christ and His Church, yet we pray for its fuller coming in hearts, families, and society.
“Your will be done, on earth as in heaven.”
This is not resignation; it is trust. Heaven is the place where God’s will is perfectly loved. We ask for the grace to obey God with the same readiness—especially when His will contradicts our preferences.
“Give us today our daily bread.”
We depend on God daily, not occasionally. This includes material needs, but it also points to a deeper hunger: God sustains the soul as well as the body.
“Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”
Jesus links receiving mercy to giving mercy. Forgiveness is not only a feeling; it is a decision to release the desire for revenge and to entrust judgment to God.
“Do not subject us to the final test, but deliver us from the evil one.”
We pray for protection from trials that could overwhelm us and for deliverance from the Evil One who seeks to divide, deceive, and destroy. This petition recognizes spiritual warfare and our need for divine help.
“If you forgive others… your heavenly Father will forgive you.”
Jesus underlines the most challenging petition. Forgiveness is the measure of whether the prayer has entered the heart.
“If you do not forgive… neither will your Father forgive.”
This is a serious warning: resentment blocks grace. A heart locked in unforgiveness cannot fully receive the mercy it requests.
Jewish Historical and Religious Context
Jewish prayer commonly praised God’s holiness, longed for His reign, and asked for daily provision. Jesus places these hopes in a new familial intimacy by teaching us to say “Father.” The petitions echo Old Testament themes: God’s name revered among the nations, His Kingdom established, His will done, and His people sustained in covenant fidelity. Yet the insistence on forgiving others highlights a sharper moral demand: covenant prayer must be matched by covenant mercy.
Catholic Tradition and Teaching
The Lord’s Prayer holds a central place in the Church’s liturgy and personal devotion. It is prayed daily by the faithful and solemnly within the Mass before Holy Communion. The Church teaches that it is truly the summary of the Gospel and a primary school of Christian prayer. The petitions form the believer in worship, trust, conversion, and charity. The condition of forgiveness is also deeply linked to sacramental life: those who seek God’s mercy are called to be instruments of mercy.
Historical or Saintly Illustration
Saint John Paul II famously forgave the man who attempted to assassinate him, visiting him in prison and speaking to him as a brother. This witness demonstrated the Lord’s Prayer lived in flesh and blood: asking forgiveness from the Father while offering forgiveness to another. Such mercy is not weakness; it is the strength of Christ.
Application to Christian Life Today
Pray the Lord’s Prayer slowly, not hurriedly. Make each line personal: honor God’s name by your choices; seek His Kingdom in your priorities; accept His will in trials; trust Him for daily needs; forgive one person concretely; ask protection from temptation; renounce the Evil One. In families, this prayer becomes a daily medicine: it heals resentment, restores peace, and teaches children that faith is lived, not merely spoken.
Eucharistic Connection
In the Mass, the Lord’s Prayer is placed immediately before Communion because it prepares the heart to receive Christ. We call God “Father” together, we ask for “daily bread,” and we seek forgiveness and reconciliation. The Eucharist is the deepest fulfillment of our prayer for bread, and it demands that we approach the altar with a forgiving heart. Receiving the Body of Christ while refusing forgiveness contradicts the communion we are about to receive.
Messages / Call to Conversion
- Pray as a child to a Father: trust, not fear, is the beginning of prayer.
- Let God’s name be holy in your life: holiness is the first witness.
- Seek God’s Kingdom first: reorder priorities around Christ.
- Ask daily: depend on God with simplicity and gratitude.
- Forgive concretely: release one debt today, and receive mercy more deeply.
- Pray for protection: temptation is real, and grace is stronger.
Outline for Preachers (Printable – Bullet Form)
- Link to previous teaching: prayer in secret, not for display
- Structure of the prayer: Father → Kingdom → daily needs → mercy → protection
- “Our Father”: identity and communion of the Church
- Holiness of God’s name and the coming Kingdom
- God’s will and daily dependence
- Forgiveness as the decisive condition for receiving mercy
- Deliverance from temptation and the Evil One
- Eucharistic placement of the prayer before Communion
- Call to conversion: trust, forgiveness, and daily fidelity
