Many commentaries have been written on the Our Father, the lines of which were given to us by Jesus himself. But our saying this prayer at the heart of the Mass brings three points to mind: we say, “Our Father,” we pray for his kingdom to come, and we pray for our daily bread.

It is almost incredible to think we can call God “Daddy.” But that is the word that Jesus has told us to put on our lips, “Abba, Father.” God, any god, is supposed to be far from us, not really care about us, and indeed, we are not to be so presumptuous as to call him “Daddy, Abba.” This kind of loving, close, intimate relationship that Jesus has with his father has been given to us. 

What has been the very nature of the life of the Trinity, a life of perfect love, is now ours for the asking. That is why praying these words is the ideal start for Holy Communion. We have been invited into the most sacred Communion of the Blessed Trinity, into perfect love. Jesus, our brother, has opened the way into that life by letting us become sons and daughters to his father.

As a manifestation of our communion with the Trinity, of our union with the Father, we pray that his kingdom may come. Writing on prayer, Origen noted, “Thus it is clear that he who prays for the coming of God’s kingdom prays rightly to have it within himself, that there it may grow and bear fruit and become perfect. For God reigns in each of his holy ones.” 

We are not just praying that the kingdom of God will come somewhere out there. Instead, it is to be in us. 

Jesus, at the Last Supper, responded to one of the apostles, “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.” (John 14:23). This is the nature of communion with God: we are changed by the very presence of God within us. The entire Mass celebrates that presence, which began with our baptism.

Finally, we pray for daily bread. Most likely, this originally referred to our actual daily sustenance. However, it did not take long to see it as a reference to the daily Eucharist. In his Catechetical Teachings on the Our Father (#23), St. Cyril of Jerusalem proclaimed, “This common bread is not substantial bread, but this Holy Bread is substantial; that is, appointed for the substance of the soul. For this bread goes not into the belly and is cast out into the draught but is distributed into your whole system for the benefit of body and soul.” By praying these words of Jesus, we are now preparing ourselves for yet deeper communion with the very body and blood of the Savior.

Immediately after our common prayer, the priest asks that we be delivered from evil, sin, and distress. This is so we will be worthy of our Communion with the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, and one another. If we turn to him, Christ willingly and joyfully gives us freedom from our sins. The priest’s words are a summons to us to allow ourselves to be prepared for that most profound Communion of all.