Calling God "our" Father also reveals the union we share with each other

Here's how to pray: Our Father in heaven ... "Matthew 6: 9

The following is an excerpt from my Catholic cult! book, chapter eleven, on the Lord's prayer:

The Lord's prayer is truly a summary of the whole Gospel. It is called "The Lord's Prayer" because Jesus himself gave it to us as a way to teach us to pray. In this prayer we find seven requests to God. Within those seven requests we will find every human desire and every expression of faith in the scriptures. Everything we need to know about life and prayer is contained in the wonderful prayer.

Jesus himself gave us this prayer as a model for all prayer. It is good that we regularly repeat the words of the Lord's prayer in vocal prayer. This is also done in the various sacraments and in liturgical worship. However, saying this prayer is not enough. The goal is to internalize every single aspect of this prayer so that it becomes a model of our personal petition to God and an assignment of our whole life to Him.

The foundation of prayer

The Lord's prayer does not begin with a petition; rather, it begins by recognizing our identity as children of the Father. This is a fundamental basis for which the Lord's prayer must be prayed correctly. It also reveals the fundamental approach that we must adopt in all prayer and in all Christian life. The opening declaration preceding the seven petitions is the following: "Our Father who art in heaven". Let's take a look at what is contained in this opening statement of the Lord's Prayer.

Filial audacity: at mass, the priest invites people to pray to the Lord's prayer by saying: "At the command of the Savior and formed by divine teaching we dare to say ..." This "audacity" on our part derives from the fundamental understanding that God is our father . Every Christian must see the Father as my Father. We must see ourselves as children of God and draw near to him with the trust of a child. A child with a loving parent is not afraid of that parent. Rather, children have the greatest confidence that their parents love them, no matter what happens. Even when they sin, children know they are still loved. This must be our fundamental starting point for any prayer. We have to start with understanding that God loves us, no matter what happens. With this understanding of God we will have all the confidence we need to invoke him.

Abba: Calling God "Father" or, more specifically, "Abba" means that we cry out to God in the most personal and intimate way. "Abba" is a term of affection for the Father. This shows that God is not only the Almighty or the Almighty. God is much more. God is my loving Father and I am the Father's beloved son or daughter.

"Our" Father: calling God "our" Father expresses a completely new relationship as a result of the New Covenant that has been established in the blood of Christ Jesus. This new relationship is where we are now the people of God and He is our God. It is an exchange of people and, therefore, deeply personal. This new relationship is nothing more than a gift from God to which we have no right. We have no right to be able to call God our Father. It is a grace and a gift.

This grace also reveals our profound unity with Jesus as the Son of God. We can only call God "Father" insofar as we are one with Jesus. His humanity unites us to him and now we share a deep bond with him.

Calling God "our" Father also reveals the union we share with each other. All those who call God their Father in this intimate way are brothers and sisters in Christ. Therefore, we are not only deeply connected together; we are also able to worship God together. In this case, individualism is left behind in exchange for fraternal unity. We are members of this one divine family as a glorious gift from God.

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name. Come your kingdom. Your will will be done on earth, as in heaven. Give us our daily bread today and forgive us our transgressions, while we forgive those who transgress you and do not lead us to temptation, but free us from evil. Jesus I believe in you