Reflections

Catholic 101: Praying the Our Father

The following excerpt is from “Catholic 101: Praying the Our Father,” by Michael Rossmann, SJ, found on The Jesuit Post website…

Sometimes I catch myself doing the “Autopilot” Our Father: my lips are moving; sound is coming out; I might even be presiding at Mass, but because I’ve said this prayer a million times, my mind can go blank when praying the Lord’s Prayer.

I can forget that this is what Jesus taught his disciples when they asked him: “Lord, teach us to pray.” When we pray the Our Father, not only are we using the words that Christ gave us, but we are praying the way that Jesus himself prayed. That’s kind of a big deal!

In fact, it’s such a big deal that the Lord’s Prayer has often been called the “summary of the whole gospel.” That’s why it’s a shame that sometimes I recite this prayer on autopilot. Each word is the opportunity for deep reflection on who God is and how Jesus shows us the way to Him. So let’s try to take a fresh look at this prayer that we all know by heart.

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