Novenas and LitaniesNovenas and Litanies• Novenas= 9-day prayer to obtain special Novenas= 9-day prayer to obtain special

gracesgraces• Litanies= responsive petitions (list prayers)Litanies= responsive petitions (list prayers)

– Model found in Psalm 136 and also Daniel 3:52-90– Litany of the Saints

• Lord, have mercy on us. R. Christ, have mercy on us. R. Lord, have mercy on us. R. Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us…

• Holy Mary, pray for us.• Holy Mother of God,• Holy Virgin of virgins,• Saint Michael,• Saint Gabriel,• Saint Raphael,• All ye holy angels and archangels,• Saint John the Baptist,• Saint Joseph…

The Lord’s Prayer (Our

Father)Luke 11

Lord’s PrayerLord’s Prayer• In Luke 11 the disciples ask Jesus to In Luke 11 the disciples ask Jesus to

teach them “how to” pray.teach them “how to” pray.• Does Jesus give them a “how to” Does Jesus give them a “how to”

answer? What do “how to’s” usually answer? What do “how to’s” usually have?have?

• No, he gives them a prayer. But why?No, he gives them a prayer. But why?• Remember that pRemember that prayer is about a

relationship.– Are “how to” manuals on relationships

the best way to form a relationship?

Lord’s PrayerLord’s Prayer• Instead of a “how to” we have a Instead of a “how to” we have a

modelmodel of prayer of prayer – Don’t tell me, show me!Don’t tell me, show me!

• Since Jesus taught us this prayer “it’s Since Jesus taught us this prayer “it’s the one prayer you can pray with total the one prayer you can pray with total confidence that God wants you to confidence that God wants you to pray this way.” (Kreeft)pray this way.” (Kreeft)

• Considered the perfect prayer Considered the perfect prayer because it has all four forms of prayer.because it has all four forms of prayer.

““Our Father”Our Father”• It’s all about relationship!It’s all about relationship!• God is the first act of everything God is the first act of everything • God is truly our Father – bring life to God is truly our Father – bring life to

everything!everything!• ““God our Father God our Father transcendstranscends the categories of the categories of

the created world.” (the created world.” (¶ ¶ 2779)2779)• Transcends = to be or go above or beyondTranscends = to be or go above or beyond• It is a It is a mysterymystery that we enter into. Mystery that we enter into. Mystery

means something that is inexhaustible, we can means something that is inexhaustible, we can know about it, but never everything.know about it, but never everything.

• This is a prayer of This is a prayer of adorationadoration and and thanksgivingthanksgiving..– Adoption as sons and daughtersAdoption as sons and daughters

““Who Art in Who Art in Heaven”Heaven”

• Heaven is a “wayHeaven is a “way

of being” not a place.of being” not a place.• ““Being” in communion Being” in communion

with another person with another person

is a matter of relationship is a matter of relationship

not place.not place.• Our goal as Christians is to reach Our goal as Christians is to reach

heaven, that is to say, to be in full heaven, that is to say, to be in full communion with God.communion with God.

7 Petitions7 Petitions1.1. For the honor of God’s nameFor the honor of God’s name

2.2. For the coming of God’s kingdomFor the coming of God’s kingdom

3.3. For the doing to God’s willFor the doing to God’s will

4.4. For daily breadFor daily bread

5.5. For forgivenessFor forgiveness

6.6. For deliverance from temptationFor deliverance from temptation

7.7. For deliverance from evilFor deliverance from evil• Mirrors the Ten CommandmentsMirrors the Ten Commandments

God

Neighbors

First 3 PetitionsFirst 3 Petitions

1.1. For the honor of God’s nameFor the honor of God’s name

2.2. For the coming of God’s kingdomFor the coming of God’s kingdom

3.3. For the doing to God’s willFor the doing to God’s will

• ““It is characteristic of love to think It is characteristic of love to think first of the one whom we love. In first of the one whom we love. In none of [these] three petitions do none of [these] three petitions do we mention ourselves.” (we mention ourselves.” (¶¶ 2804) 2804)

God

““Hallowed be thy name”Hallowed be thy name”

• May we give honor to God’s name May we give honor to God’s name (2(2ndnd Commandment) Commandment)

• ““Hallowed” is a matter of treating the Hallowed” is a matter of treating the name of God in a holy way. (Not just name of God in a holy way. (Not just that it’s holy)that it’s holy)

““Thy kingdom come”Thy kingdom come”

• This primarily refers to the final This primarily refers to the final coming of the reign of God through coming of the reign of God through Christ’s return. (2Christ’s return. (2ndnd Advent) ( Advent) (¶ ¶ 2818)2818)

• However, the kingdom of God is also However, the kingdom of God is also present with us now. Jesus lives with present with us now. Jesus lives with us now, not just in the future.us now, not just in the future.

• Do we allow Christ to reign in our Do we allow Christ to reign in our lives? lives?

““Thy will be done on earth Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”as it is in heaven”

• Heaven is where God’s will is Heaven is where God’s will is perfectly accomplished; may God’s perfectly accomplished; may God’s will also occur on earth.will also occur on earth.

• What is God’s will? What is God’s will? – ““That you love one another; even as I That you love one another; even as I

have loved you” (Jn 13:34)have loved you” (Jn 13:34)

• May we pray as Jesus did: let “not my May we pray as Jesus did: let “not my will but yours be done.” (Lk 22:42)will but yours be done.” (Lk 22:42)

““Give us this day our daily Give us this day our daily bread”bread”

• Asking God to give us everything we Asking God to give us everything we need in our human condition.need in our human condition.

• In order to have life we need In order to have life we need nourishment for our bodies and our nourishment for our bodies and our souls.souls. – Natural life (material)Natural life (material)– Supernatural life (spiritual) Supernatural life (spiritual)

EUCHARIST: Jesus is the Bread of LifeEUCHARIST: Jesus is the Bread of Life

““Forgive us our trespasses as we Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against forgive those who trespass against

us”us”• If I don’t forgive others, then I’m If I don’t forgive others, then I’m

asking God not to forgive me.asking God not to forgive me.• This is a strict requirement, but a This is a strict requirement, but a

necessary one. necessary one. • Closed fist or open hand?Closed fist or open hand?

““Lead us not into Lead us not into temptation”temptation”

• God does God does notnot lead us to do evil. lead us to do evil.• It is saying instead, “do not allow us It is saying instead, “do not allow us

to enter” and “do not let us yield” to to enter” and “do not let us yield” to temptation.temptation.

• We ask God to give us strength in We ask God to give us strength in battle.battle.

• We ask for perseverance.We ask for perseverance.

““Deliver us from evil”Deliver us from evil”

• Set us free from the Set us free from the

powers of Satan the powers of Satan the

““Father of Lies” so that we Father of Lies” so that we

may live in peace with Godmay live in peace with God

who is Truth.who is Truth.

AMEN!AMEN!

The Adventure of The Adventure of Praying the Our FatherPraying the Our Father

• Expect to discover things as you pray the Our Father.

• “Beauty ever ancient and yet ever new.” –St. Augustine

• “After you’ve repeated those words a thousand times, you haven’t begun to exhaust their meaning.” (Kreeft)

• How can you ever exhaust a relationship of love? Old married couples…

Letter to God #2Letter to God #2

• Who taught you the Our Father or where/when did you learn it?

• What memories and feelings do you have about praying the Our Father?

• What is God saying to you today in this prayer?

• Dear God, …….

XO,

• It’s not only a formal prayer, but also a guide to informal prayer, an outline of things for us to say to God. We should improvise on it, decorate it, festoon it, add variations to it, ring changes on it, dive off it, sow it as seeds, grow with it like a baby. It’s a beginning, not an end. It’s like an outline of a book; Jesus invites us to write our own book following his outline.

-Kreeft