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Chapter 38GenevaCat.1.38

III. D'oraison — Le 37e dimanche

The Need for Divine Guidance in Prayer

Because our own desires are disordered and ignorant, we must rely on God to teach us how to pray.

253. M: Let's talk now about the substance of our prayers. Can we ask for everything that comes into our minds, or is there a specific rule for this? E: If we followed our own whims, our prayers would be poorly ordered. We are so ignorant that we can't judge what is good to ask for, and our desires are so disordered that it's only wise we shouldn't give them free rein.1 255. Minister: So what must we do, then? E: That God himself should teach us according to what he knows is expedient, and that he should, as it were, lead us by the hand, and that we should do nothing but follow.

The Model of the Lord's Prayer

Christ provides the Lord's Prayer as a perfect, concise form for all our petitions.

255. M: What instruction has he given us about it? E: He has provided it for us very fully throughout the whole of Scripture. But, so that he might better direct us toward a definite end, he has given a form in which he has briefly included all the points that it is lawful and fitting for us to ask. The Christian prayer that our Lord taught us. M: Recite it. E: It is that our Lord Jesus, when his disciples asked him to teach them to pray, answers them that they are to say this (Matthew 6:9–13; Luke 11:1–4):✦ Our Father, who are in heaven; hallowed be your Name; your Kingdom come; your will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us today our daily bread; forgive us our offenses, as we forgive those who have offended us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.✦ For yours is the Kingdom, the glory, and the power, forever and ever.✦2 Amen. The division of the Lord's Prayer 257. M: For easier understanding, tell me how many articles it contains. E: Six. The first three concern the glory of God, without any regard for ourselves; the others are for us and concern our own good and benefit.

The Twofold Aim of Prayer

The petitions of the Lord's Prayer are divided between God's glory and our needs, yet both must ultimately center on God's honor.

258. M: How is that? Are we supposed to ask God for something that doesn't benefit us in return? E: It is true that through his infinite goodness, he arranges and orders all things so that nothing can bring glory to his Name without also being beneficial to us.3 So, when his Name is hallowed, he turns that into our sanctification; when his Kingdom comes, we become participants in it to some degree.4 But in desiring and asking for these things, we must focus only on his honor, without thinking of ourselves at all or seeking our own advantage.5 259. M: Based on what you're saying, these first three petitions are very useful to us, but we shouldn't make them with any other aim than to desire that God be glorified. C: Yes, exactly.6 And in the same way, even though the last three are appointed for desiring what is good for us, still God's glory must be kept foremost for us in them, so that it is the end of all our desires.7

Read the original Latin

253. M : Parlons maintenant de la substance de nos oraisons. Pouvons-nous demander tout ce qui nous vient en l'entendement, ou s'il y a quelque certaine règle là-dessus? E : Si nous suivions notre fantaisie, nos oraisons seraient bien mal réglées. Car nous sommes si ignorants que nous ne pouvons pas juger ce qui est bon de demander, aussi nos désirs sont si désordonnés qu'il est bon métier que ne leur lâchions point la bride.

255. M : Que faut-il donc? E : Que Dieu même nous enseigne, selon qu'il connaît être expédient, et quasi qu'il nous conduise par la main, et que nous ne fassions que suivre.

255. M : Quelle instruction nous en a-t-il baillée? E : Par toute l'Ecriture il nous l'a baillée très ample. Mais, afin de nous mieux adresser à un certain but, il a donné un formulaire auquel il a brièvement compris tous les points qu'il nous est licite et expédient de demander.

L'oraison chrétienne que nous a apprise notre Seigneur 256. M : Récite-le. E : C'est que notre Seigneur Jésus, étant requis de ses disciples qu'il les enseignât de prier, leur répond qu'ils auront à dire ainsi (Matthieu 6:9-13 ; Luc 11:1-4) :

Notre Père, qui es aux cieux ; ton Nom soit sanctifié ; ton Règne advienne ; ta volonté soit faite en la terre comme au ciel ; donne-nous aujourd'hui notre pain quotidien ; pardonne-nous nos offenses, comme nous pardonnons à ceux qui nous ont offensés ; et ne nous induis point en tentation, mais nous délivre du mal. Car à toi est le Règne, la gloire et la puissance, aux siècles des siècles. Amen. La division de l'oraison dominicale 257. M : Pour plus facile intelligence, dis-moi combien d'articles elle contient. E : Six, dont les trois premiers regardent la gloire de Dieu, sans quelque considération de nous-mêmes, les autres sont pour nous et concernent notre bien et profit.

258. M : Comment donc? Faut-il demander quelque chose à Dieu dont il ne nous revienne nulle utilité? E : Il est vrai que par sa bonté infinie, il dispose et ordonne tellement toutes choses que rien ne peut être à la gloire de son Nom, qui ne nous soit même salutaire. Ainsi, quand son Nom est sanctifié, il nous tourne cela en sanctification ; quand son Règne advient, nous en sommes aucunement participants. Mais en désirant et demandant ces choses, ilnous faut avoir seulement égard à son honneur, sans penser à nous aucunement, ni chercher notre profit.

259. M : Selon ton dire, ces trois premières requêtes nous sont bien utiles, mais il ne les faut faire à autre intention, sinon pour désirer que Dieu soit glorifié. E : Voire. Et semblablement, jà soit que les trois dernières soient députées à désirer ce qui nous est expédient, toutefois la gloire de Dieu nous doit être en icelles recommandées, tellement que ce soit la fin de tous nos désirs.

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩Luke.11.1-Luke.11.4 — And it came to pass that he was praying in a certain place, and when he ceased, one of his disciples said to him, 'Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.' Luke.11.2 — He said to them, "When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come." Luke.11.3 — Give us each day our daily bread. Luke.11.4 — and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not bring us into temptation.
  2. ↩Matt.6.9-Matt.6.13;Luke.11.2-Luke.11.4 — Pray then like this: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Matt.6.10 — Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Matt.6.11 — Give us today our daily bread. Matt.6.12 — And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. Matt.6.13 — And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. Luke.11.2 — He said to them, "When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come." Luke.11.3 — Give us each day our daily bread. Luke.11.4 — and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not bring us into temptation.
  3. ↩Matt.6.13 — And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Notes

  1. 1 ↩Middle French idiom: roughly 'it is good practice / the wiser course'; rendered as 'it's only wise' rather than a wooden 'good trade/craft'.
  2. 2 ↩French order is Règne, gloire, puissance (Kingdom, glory, power), not the common English liturgical order Kingdom, power, and glory; the source order is kept.
  3. 3 ↩French salutaire keeps the sense of what serves our salvation / spiritual good, not mere worldly usefulness.
  4. 4 ↩Middle French aucunement here means 'in some measure / somewhat,' not modern French 'not at all.' Context requires the older positive sense.
  5. 5 ↩Normalized source reads ilnous; translated as intended il nous.
  6. 6 ↩Early modern French « Voire » here is affirmative assent in dialogue (yes / indeed), not the modern restrictive sense “even / or even.” Speaker label E rendered as C (Child/Catechumen) to match catechism dialogue roles opposite M (Master).
  7. 7 ↩« jà soit que » = although / even though; « députées » = appointed/assigned; « expédient » = what is useful or good for us; « en icelles recommandées » = kept recommended/foremost in those petitions.

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