Our Father, Part 1: The First Three Petitions;

Jesus Teaches Us to Pray

November Reflection by Birgitt Hacker

Prayer stands at the very heart of the Christian life, and no one teaches us to pray more perfectly than Jesus Himself. In the Gospels, Jesus did not simply speak about prayer, He prayed. He rose early in the morning to pray in solitude (Mark 1:35), gave thanks to the Father (Matthew 11:25), prayed before important moments in His mission (Luke 6:12), and entrusted Himself completely to the Father’s will during His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:42). In Jesus, we see that prayer is not merely a religious duty. It is the loving conversation of the Son with the Father, and through Christ we are invited into that same relationship.

The disciples recognized that there was something unique about the way Jesus prayed. Because of this, one of them asked, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1). Jesus answered by giving them the prayer we know as the Our Father (Matthew 6:9-13; Luke 11:2-4). The Catechism of the Catholic Church calls the Lord’s Prayer “the summary of the whole Gospel” (CCC 2761). In this prayer, Jesus reveals not only what we should pray for, but also the  way we should honor God.

The prayer begins with two extraordinary words: “Our Father.” Through Jesus, we learn that God is not a distant ruler but a loving Father who desires a relationship with His children. By His death and resurrection, Christ made it possible for us to share in His own relationship with the Father, so that we can cry out with confidence, “Abba, Father!” (Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6). The word “our” reminds us that our prayer is never purely individual. Whenever we pray, we do so as members of God’s family and as part of the Body of Christ (CCC 2786-2793).

After addressing God as Father, Jesus directs our attention toward three petitions that focus entirely on God: “hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done.” Before teaching us to ask for our own needs, Jesus teaches us that prayer begins with worship, trust, and surrender. These first three petitions reveal what should be the deepest desire of each of our hearts.

The first petition, “hallowed be thy name,” is not a request that God become holy, for He is already infinitely holy. Rather, we pray that God's holiness may be recognized, honored, and reflected in our lives. Throughout Scripture, God's name represents His presence, power, and saving action among His people.

The prophet Ezekiel records God's promise: “I will sanctify my great name” (Ezekiel 36:23). Jesus fulfills this promise by revealing the Father perfectly and teaching His disciples to glorify Him. When we pray that God's name be hallowed, we are asking that all people come to know Him, love Him, and worship Him. We are also praying that our own thoughts, words, and actions bear witness to His holiness (CCC 2807-2815).

In this way, Jesus teaches us that prayer begins with adoration. Before speaking about ourselves, we first acknowledge who God is.

The second petition, “thy kingdom come,” expresses our longing for the reign of God. Jesus announced throughout His public ministry that “the kingdom of God is at hand” (Mark 1:15). Through His preaching, miracles, death, and resurrection, the kingdom entered the world in a new way.

To pray for God's kingdom is to desire that Christ reign in our hearts, in our families, in the Church, and throughout the world. It is a prayer for the triumph of truth, justice, holiness, peace, and love. It is also a prayer of hope, looking forward to the day when Christ will come again in glory and God's kingdom will be fully established (CCC 2816-2821).

Jesus teaches us that prayer is not merely about personal concerns. It expands our hearts to desire what God desires and to seek first His kingdom above all else.

The third petition reaches its fullest expression in the life of Jesus Himself: “thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” These words find their greatest example in the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus prayed, “Not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42).

This petition is not an act of resignation but an act of trust. We pray that God's loving plan may be accomplished in our lives and throughout the world. We ask for the grace to follow His commandments, embrace His wisdom, and cooperate with His purposes even when we do not fully understand them (CCC 2822-2827).

Jesus teaches us that authentic prayer transforms the heart. Rather than trying to bend God to our will, prayer helps us conform ourselves to His will. The more we pray as Christ taught us, the more we learn to trust the Father's loving providence.

Learning to Pray Like Jesus is a goal of our Catholic life. Jesus teaches us that prayer begins with God. Before we ask for our needs, we adore the Father, desire His kingdom, and surrender ourselves to His will. In these petitions, we learn that the goal of prayer is not simply to obtain blessings, but to grow in communion with God.

When we pray, “hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done,” we enter into Jesus' own relationship with the Father. These words shape our hearts according to the Gospel and teach us to see all of life through the lens of God's glory, God's kingdom, and God's will.

In Part 2, we will explore the remaining four petitions of the Our Father, where Jesus teaches us to bring our daily needs before the Father, seek forgiveness, grow in mercy, and rely on God's protection against temptation and evil.

Reference List

Catechism of the Catholic Church: CCC 2759-2865, CCC 276, CCC 2786-2793, CCC 2807-2815, CCC 2816-2821, CCC 2822-2827

Scripture: Matthew 6:9-13, Luke 11:1-4, Mark 1:35, Matthew 11:25, Luke 6:12, Luke 22:42, Romans 8:15, Galatians 4:6, Ezekiel 36:23, Mark 1:15

5 Ways to Teach Children the First Three Petitions of the Our Father

1). Teach children that prayer begins with God.
Explain that Jesus first teaches us to think about God before thinking about ourselves. The first three petitions help us worship, praise, and trust our Heavenly Father.

2). Talk about what God's name means.
Help children understand that God's name is holy and special. Encourage them to show respect for God's name through their words and actions.

3). Connect God's kingdom to everyday life.
Ask children how they can help God's kingdom grow by showing kindness, telling the truth, sharing with others, and loving as Jesus loves.

4). Use Jesus in Gethsemane as an example.
Read Luke 22:42 and show how Jesus trusted the Father even in a difficult moment. Encourage children to pray, "Your will be done," especially when life is challenging.

5). Pray each petition separately.
Spend a few minutes reflecting on one petition at a time. This helps children move beyond memorization and begin to understand the meaning of the words Jesus taught us.

A simple reminder: The first three petitions teach children that prayer is first about loving God, honoring Him, trusting Him, and desiring His will above all things. By praying these words often, they learn to see the world with the heart of Christ.