Our Father

one

When my son Xavier was very little, I tried to teach him the “Our Father.” I would say to him, “Ok Xavier, let’s pray the Our Father.” And he would get a big smile and full of confidence he would say “Our Father, Our Father, Our Father” certain that he had mastered the prayer. Though he was a long way from learning the whole prayer, I realized he had mastered the most important part. God is our Father, and if we would really let that reality sink in it would completely transform our lives – but we have not let it sink in and we really live like orphans.

two

There are upwards of 100 billion solar systems in our galaxy alone and possibly 200 trillion observable galaxies in the universe. Those are just the ones we can see. God Our Father created that colossal universe and holds it in His hands, yet we have such a hard time trusting Him. How could we need more proof that God could take care of us than just by looking at the stars in heaven. I guess we don’t look at the stars in heaven enough…But if we did, we would begin to realize that if God can handle that universe, He can certainly handle our lives.

The Catechism (2778) teaches us there is one word that captures perfectly the attitude we should have toward God Our Father – that word is parrhesia which means a:

·       Straightforward simplicity w/God

·       Confident trust in God’s Providential care

·       Joyous assurance

·       Humble boldness

·       The certainty of being loved

·       That is the attitude we should intentionally cultivate and practice every day

three

God revealed to St. Faustina that He desired from all souls this straightforward simplicity and bold trust: “The graces of My mercy are drawn by means of one vessel only, and this is – trust. The more a soul trusts, the more it will receive. Souls that trust boundlessly are a great comfort to Me, because I pour all the treasures of My graces into them. I rejoice that they ask for much, because it is My desire to give much, very much. On the other hand, I am sad when souls ask for little, when they narrow their hearts.” (Diary of Faustina 1578)

Joyous assurance: Joy comes from the awareness of the possession of some good. We must cultivate the awareness that the All-Good, All-Powerful, All-Knowing God is our Father. He has promised to take care of all our needs and if we look back on our lives we realize just this – He has!

four

Jesus taught us humble boldness when we speak to God our Father: “Ask and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” And how much more certainty of being loved could we ask for then that the Father has loved us so much that he sent Jesus to die for us so that we could be saved from our sin and live forever in heaven?  

five

The Catechism goes on to teach us that praying to Our Father should develop with in us two fundamental attitudes: First, the desire to become like Our Father. As St Cyprian writes, “We must remember and know that when we call God ‘our Father’ we ought to behave as sons of God.”

And second, we should strive to cultivate a humble and trusting heart.         

Resolution: Today I will call to mind often the reality that I am a son or daughter of God and I will practice one of these fundamental traits of the children of God: straightforward simplicity, filial trust, joyous assurance, humble boldness and the certainty of being loved.