Baltimore Catechism, No. 3

Excerpt

CATECHISM

THE LORD'S PRAYER.

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....