# Reflecting on the Our Father
*2017-08-12*

> Bill Young guides listeners through a meditation on each petition of the Our Father, showing how the prayer shapes our relationship with God and our daily life.

## The Structure of the Prayer

The Church’s meditation on the Our Father points out that the first three petitions—"hallowed be Thy name," "Thy kingdom come," and "Thy will be done"—focus on the glory of the Father, the sanctification of His name, the coming of His kingdom, and the accomplishment of His divine will. The remaining four petitions express our personal needs: daily bread, forgiveness, protection from temptation, and deliverance from evil.

## Hallowed Be Thy Name

When we say "hallowed be Thy name," we enter into God’s design for humanity. The sanctification of His name was first revealed to Moses and then fully revealed in Christ. By pronouncing this petition we acknowledge that God’s name is holy in every nation and in every person.

## Thy Kingdom Come

"Thy kingdom come" is both a plea for the final coming of Christ and a request for the growth of God’s kingdom in our daily lives. We ask that the reign of love, justice, and peace that Christ inaugurated be expanded in the world today.

## Thy Will Be Done

In "Thy will be done" we unite our will with the Son’s, offering ourselves to the salvific plan of God. This petition asks us to cooperate with divine grace so that we may become instruments of salvation.

## Our Daily Bread and the Rest of the Petitions

The request for "our daily bread" reminds us that physical nourishment points to the Bread of Life—Christ Himself—who sustains us spiritually. "Forgive us our trespasses" calls us to seek God’s mercy and to extend that mercy to others. "Lead us not into temptation" asks for the grace to avoid sin, while "deliver us from evil" entrusts us to the victory Christ has already won over Satan. The concluding "Amen" affirms our faith in these petitions.

*The Our Father draws us into a deeper communion with the Father, inviting us to align our lives with His holy will.*