Prayer is one of the three ancient ways of penance which are important in this time of Lent to renew our Christian life: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. In the Sermon on the Monte, Jesus proposes a prayer that comes from his heart for his followers. It is known as the Lord’s Prayer, the Our Father, or the Sunday Prayer. It is central in our Christian life and prayer. Yet often it becomes so common to us that it loses its newness, and it loses its way of revealing our unique relationship with God. Today lets take a look at just the opening sentence of the prayer.
It must have been shocking for the first disciples to hear Jesus call God “father”. God has many names in the Old Testament: Yahweh-I am, Shaddai-Lord God Almighty, Adonai-Lord Master, the Lord my Shepherd, the Lord of Hosts, Creator, or The Lord that Heals. All seem to point to a powerful God who often acts in favor of Israel but who is a bit distant.
The first shock would have been calling God “father” rather than one of the more formal names used in the Old Testament. The second shock would have been the word Abba which really means Dad or Daddy rather than Father. Even today we can’t bring ourselves to say Daddy when we pray to God, and we still continue to use the more formal translation, Father. Abba-Daddy is a word that a child uses in the home when speaking with its father. It is a personal, intimate reference. It is not distant or formal.
Jesus refers to God as Father when he prays because he is part of the Holy Trinity. Through this prayer Jesus makes us part of that intimate life inside the Holy Trinity. As children of one common God, we can pray with confidence to Abba, Daddy. Jesus shows us a new way of relating to God and to each other in prayer.
Lent is a time to pray more earnestly. Authentic prayer and union with God leads us to action, leads us to a new form of life. Praying the Our Father each Sunday and every time we are gathered together call us to a deep, intimate, family relationship with our creator, with our Dad. This prayer will take us to a way of life that is in communion with God’s will. A renewed relationship with our heavenly Dad will bring us closer to the resurrection experience of Easter.
Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name
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