Q. 1. Say the Lord's Prayer.
A. 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.
Q. 2. Who made the Lord's Prayer?
A. Our Lord Himself made the Lord's Prayer for the use of His disciples
and of all the faithful.
Q. 3. Why is the "Our Father" the most excellent of all Prayers?
A. The "Our Father" is the most excellent of all prayers because Our
Lord Himself made it and because its petitions ask for all we can need
for soul or body.
Q. 4. How is the Lord's Prayer divided?
A. The Lord's Prayer is divided into seven requests or petitions. Three
of these petitions refer to God's honor and glory, and the remaining
four to our corporeal or spiritual wants.
Q. 5. Whom do we address as "Our Father" when we say the Lord's Prayer?
A. When we say "Our Father" in the Lord's Prayer we address Almighty
God, Father, Son and Holy Ghost united in the adorable Trinity.
Q. 6. Why do we say "our" and not "my" Father?
A. We say "our" and not "my" Father to remind us that through our
creation and redemption, we are all members of the great human family of
which God is the Father; and that we should pray for and help one
another.
Q. 7. Why do we call God Father?
A. We call God Father because He does for us what a good father should
do for his children. He gives us our existence; He protects us; He
provides for us and teaches us; and because the name of "Father" fills
us with love and reverence for him, and with confidence in Him.
Q. 8. Why do we say "Who art in heaven" if God be everywhere?
A. We say "who art in heaven" to put us in mind (1) that heaven is our
true home for which we were created; (2) that in heaven we shall see God
face to face as He is; (3) that heaven is the place where God will be
for all eternity, with the blessed.
Q. 9. What does "Hallowed be Thy Name" mean?
A. Hallowed means set apart for a holy or sacred use, and thus comes to
mean treated or praised as holy or sacred. "Thy name" means God Himself
and all relating to Him, and by this petition we ask that God may be
known, loved and served by all.
Q. 10. What do we ask for in the petition: "Thy kingdom come"?
A. In the petition "Thy kingdom come" we ask (1) that God may reign in
the souls of all men by His grace, so that they may attain eternal
salvation; (2) that the true Church--Christ's kingdom--may spread upon
earth till all men embrace the true religion.
Q. 11. Who do God's Will in heaven?
A. In heaven the Angels and Saints do God's Will perfectly. They never
disobey, or even wish to disobey Him. In the petition, "Thy Will be done
on earth as it is in heaven," we pray that all God's creatures may
imitate the Angels and Saints in heaven by never offending Him.
Q. 12. What do we ask for by "our daily bread"?
A. In the petition for "our daily bread" we ask not merely for bread,
but for all that we need for the good of our body or soul.
Q. 13. Why do we say "daily"?
A. We say "daily" to teach us that we are not to be avaricious but only
prudent in providing for our wants; and that we are to have great
confidence in the providence of God.
Q. 14. What do "trespasses" mean?
A. "Trespasses" mean here injuries done or offenses given to another,
and when God is the person offended, "trespasses" mean sins.
Q. 15. What do you mean by "forgive us our trespasses as we forgive
those who trespass against us"?
A. In this petition we declare to God that we have forgiven all who have
injured or offended us, and ask Him to reward us by pardoning our sins.
Q. 16. When may we be said to forgive those who trespass against us?
A. We may be said to forgive our enemies when we act, and, as far as
possible, feel toward them as if they had never injured us.
Q. 17. What is temptation?
A. A temptation is anything that incites, provokes, or urges us to
offend God.
Q. 18. What is the best means of overcoming temptation?
A. The best means of overcoming temptation is to resist its very
beginning, by turning our attention from it; by praying for help to
resist it; and by doing the opposite of what we are tempted to do.
Q. 19. Does God tempt us to sin?
A. God does not tempt us to sin; but He permits us to be tempted to try
our fidelity or punish our pride; and to give us an opportunity of
meriting rewards for ourselves by overcoming the temptations.
Q. 20. Can we always resist temptation?
A. We can always resist temptation if we wish, for God always gives us
sufficient grace and never permits us to be tempted above our strength.
Q. 21. Is it a sin to be tempted?
A. It is not a sin to be tempted, because we cannot prevent it. It is
sinful only to consent or yield to the temptation or needlessly expose
ourselves to it.
Q. 22. From what do our temptations come?
A. Our temptations come either from the devil, our spiritual enemy, or
from the world; that is, the wicked persons, places, or things in the
world; or from the flesh; that is, our body with its strong passions and
evil inclinations.
Q. 23. Should we seek temptation for the sake of overcoming it?
A. We must not expose ourselves to temptation, but, on the contrary,
carefully avoid it, yet resist it bravely when it assails us.
Q. 24. From what evil do we ask to be delivered?
A. We ask to be delivered from every evil of body and mind, but
particularly to be delivered from sin, which is the greatest of all
evils.
Q. 25. What does "Amen" mean?
A. "Amen" means so be it; and expresses a desire that the petition may
be granted.
Q. 26. What does Christian mean?
A. A Christian is a baptized person who professes to believe all that
Christ has taught, and to do all that He has commanded as necessary for
our salvation.