Theme No 8
The Lord’s Prayer (part B)
1. Formation Prayer
(To be recited by all present).
In the name of the Father …
Heavenly Father, as we commence this
session of the Formation Programme, help us to believe you are near to us and that you
care for each one of us every day of our lives. Send the Holy Spirit to be our helper and
our guide, enlightening our minds, giving us the grace to serve you with generous hearts
and inspiring us to stand firm as Christians in your love. We ask this through Christ our
Lord. Amen.
2. Scripture Reading - Luke
11:1–4
(Read by the discussion leader or the member nominated by him.)
Jesus was praying in a certain place, and
after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, 'Lord, teach us to pray, as John
taught his disciples.' He said to them, 'When you pray, say: "Father, hallowed be
your name. Your Kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of
trial"'.
3. The Message
(Read by the discussion leader or the member nominated by him.)
Every time we recite the Lord’s
Prayer, we should be conscious that we are in communion with Him and with his Son, Jesus
Christ. This should lead us to an ever growing sense of wonder. The Father has caused us
to be reborn to His life by adopting us as His children in Jesus Christ by Baptism. He
incorporates us into the Body of His Christ, and through the anointing of the Holy Spirit,
He makes us other 'Christs.' The significance of the 'Our' is that it expresses an
entirely new relationship with God. We are involved in the new and eternal covenant and
have become 'His' people and He is 'Our' God. If we pray the Lord’s Prayer sincerely,
we leave all individualism behind, and despite the divisions among Christians, we are
challenged to work for ever greater unity. Heaven is not so much a place, but rather a
state or a way of being. It does not mean that God is far away or beyond the clouds, but
that God is majestic, full of life, love and mystery. God desires us to be always living
in his presence. In Christ, heaven and earth are reconciled. The petitions which follow
are all worthy of prolonged and frequent reflection and meditation. Much of the Prayer is
centred on praise of God, for Jesus wishes us to open up our hearts and minds to the
wonder and goodness of God. Jesus came to do the will of the Father and the will of the
Father is love. The remainder of the Prayer is related to our struggles through life,
particularly the battle against oneself. Saint Ignatius is reported to have said that we
are to pray as if everything depended on God and work as if everything depended upon
ourselves. Above all else, the battle takes place in the field of forgiveness. If we block
our hearts to forgive others, then we block off the mercy of God towards ourselves.
4. The Exercise
(Five minutes of reflection by all members.)
What is my present understanding of Heaven
and what are some experiences in this life which help me to reflect on Heaven?
What is my attitude to divisions among
Christians, even within the Catholic Church?
Why does Jesus place so much stress on the
need for us to forgive?
5. The Sharing
(Members share aspects of their personal faith and its place in their lives that have come
to them through the Exercise.)
6. The Word
(The basis of meditation and reflection for the ensuing month given by the discussion
leader.)
'...and forgive us our trespasses, as we
forgive those who trespass against us.'
7. Closing Prayer
(Recited by all members)
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 this
day 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. Amen.
