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| Lord, teach us how to pray... J-J Tissot. |
I have included my own (fairly literal) English translation, together with a number of Scriptural references and notes.
The footnote references follow each section.
Petition 2: Thy Kingdom Come
Articulus 2 : Adveniat regnum tuum
As it is said: the Holy Spirit enables us to love, desire and pray rightly; and He instills in us, firstly, fear through which we ask for the name of God to be sanctified. Another gift is that of piety; and piety is, strictly speaking, a gentle and devout love for the father and for any man who finds himself in trouble. Now since God is our Father, as is plain, we ought not only to reverence and fear Him but also to have a gentle and pious love for Him. This love makes us pray that the kingdom of God may come: “ we should live soberly, and justly, and godly in this world, looking for the blessed hope and coming of the glory of the great God.”[1]
Sicut dictum est, spiritus sanctus facit nos recte amare, desiderare et petere; et efficit in nobis primo timorem, per quem quaerimus quod nomen Dei sanctificetur. Aliud donum est donum pietatis. Et est proprie pietas, dulcis et devotus affectus ad patrem, et ad omnem hominem in miseria constitutum. Cum ergo Deus sit pater noster, ut patet, non solum debemus eum revereri et timere, sed etiam ad eum habere debemus dulcem et pium affectum. Hic autem affectus facit nos petere quod adveniat regnum Dei. Tit. II, 12-13: pie et iuste vivamus in hoc saeculo, expectantes beatam spem, et adventum gloriae magni Dei.
[1] Instructing us, that, denying ungodliness and worldly desires, we should live soberly, and justly, and godly in this world; erudiens nos, ut abnegantes impietatem, et saecularia desideria, sobrie, et juste, et pie vivamus in hoc saeculo. Looking for the blessed hope and coming of the glory of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, exspectantes beatam spem, et adventum gloriae magni Dei, et Salvatoris nostri Jesu Christi : [Titus ii. 12-13]
It may, however be asked: the kingdom of God has always been (in existence), so why do we pray that it may come? Now this may be said (in answer), which may be understood in a threefold manner:
Because sometimes a king has only the right to a kingdom or dominion but actual dominion over his kingdom has not been declared, because men of the kingdom are not yet subject to him. His kingdom will accordingly appear first when men become subjects of his kingdom. Now, God is of Himself and by His nature Lord of all things; but Christ as God and as man has from God that He should be Lord of all things: “And he gave him power, and glory, and a kingdom:”[2] It is necessary therefore that all things be subject to Him. This has not yet come to be but it will be so in the end: “For he must reign, until he hath put all his enemies under his feet.”[3] And so we pray and say: “Thy kingdom come.”
Posset autem quaeri: regnum Dei semper fuit: quare ergo petimus quod veniat? Et ideo dicendum est, quod hoc potest tripliciter intelligi. Primo quia aliquando rex habet ius regni solum, seu dominii: et tamen nondum dominium ipsius regni est declaratum, quia nondum homines regni sunt ei subiecti. Tunc ergo apparebit primo eius regnum seu dominium, quando homines regni erunt sibi subiecti. Deus autem ex se et sua natura est dominus omnium: et Christus secundum quod Deus, et etiam secundum quod homo, habet a Deo quod sit dominus omnium. Dan. VII, 14: dedit ei potestatem et honorem et regnum. Oportet ergo quod sibi sint omnia subiecta. Hoc autem nondum est, sed erit in fine. I Cor. XV, 25: oportet illum regnare, donec ponat omnes inimicos sub pedibus eius. Et ideo petimus et dicimus: adveniat regnum tuum.
[2] And he gave him power, and glory, and a kingdom: and all peoples, tribes and tongues shall serve him: his power is an everlasting power that shall not be taken away: and his kingdom that shall not be destroyed. Et dedit ei potestatem, et honorem, et regnum : et omnes populi, tribus, et linguae ipsi servient : potestas ejus, potestas aeterna, quae non auferetur : et regnum ejus, quod non corrumpetur. [Dan. vii., 14]
[3] For he must reign, until he hath put all his enemies under his feet. Oportet autem illum regnare donec ponat omnes inimicos sub pedibus ejus. [I Cor. xv. 25]
Why we pray thus
In this is explained by three reasons: namely, so that the just may be converted, so that sinners may be punished and that death may be destroyed. For men are subject to Christ in two ways: either willingly or unwillingly. The will of God is so powerful that it must be complied with completely; and God wishes that all things should be subject to Christ. One of two things is necessary, namely: either man will do the will of God by subjecting himself to His commandments – this is what the just do; or God will do His will on all men by punishing them, and He will do this to sinners and to His enemies. This will be at the end of the world: “ Until I make thy enemies thy footstool.”[1]
Et hoc quantum ad tria: scilicet ut iusti convertantur, peccatores puniantur, et mors destruatur. Nam homines dupliciter subiiciuntur Christo: aut voluntarii, aut inviti. Cum enim voluntas Dei sit ita efficax quod oporteat penitus illam compleri, et Deus velit quod omnia subiiciantur Christo: alterum duorum erit necessarium: ut scilicet aut homo faciat voluntatem Dei subiiciendo se mandatis eius, et hoc facient iusti; aut Deus faciat de omnibus voluntatem suam puniendo eos, et hoc faciet peccatoribus et inimicis suis. Et hoc erit in fine mundi. Psal. CIX, 1: donec ponam inimicos tuos scabellum pedum tuorum.
[1] The Lord said to my Lord: Sit thou at my right hand: Until I make thy enemies thy footstool. Psalmus David. Dixit Dominus Domino meo : Sede a dextris meis, donec ponam inimicos tuos scabellum pedum tuorum. [Ps. cix. 1]
And so it is given to the faithful to pray that God’s kingdom may come, which is to say that they may totally subject themselves to Him; but it is a horrible thing for sinners, because for them to ask that God’s kingdom should come is nothing else than asking that they should be subjected to punishment. “ Woe to them that desire the day of the Lord:”[2] But it is from this that death is destroyed. Because Christ is “...the life,” death cannot exist in His kingdom, because death is contrary to life: “And the enemy death shall be destroyed last:”[3] And this will be at the resurrection: “Who will reform the body of our lowness, made like to the body of his glory.”[4]
Et ideo sanctis est datum quaerere quod adveniat regnum Dei, scilicet quod ipsi totaliter subiiciantur ei; sed peccatoribus est horribile, quia nihil aliud est quaerere quod adveniat regnum Dei, nisi quod de voluntate Dei subiiciantur poenis. Amos V, 18: vae desiderantibus diem domini. Sed et ex hoc destruitur mors. Cum enim Christus sit vita, non potest in regno eius esse mors, quae est vitae contraria: ideo dicitur I Cor. XV, 26: novissime autem inimica destruetur mors. Et hoc erit in resurrectione. Phil. III, 21 reformabit corpus humilitatis nostrae, configuratum corpori claritatis suae.
[2] Woe to them that desire the day of the Lord: to what end is it for you? the day of the Lord is darkness, and not light. Vae desiderantibus diem Domini! ad quid eam vobis? Dies Domini ista, tenebrae, et non lux. [Amos v. 18]
[3] And the enemy death shall be destroyed last: For he hath put all things under his feet. ... Novissima autem inimica destruetur mors : omnia enim subjecit pedibus ejus [I Cor. xv. 26]
[4] Who will reform the body of our lowness, made like to the body of his glory, according to the operation whereby also he is able to subdue all things unto himself. qui reformabit corpus humilitatis nostrae, configuratum corpori claritatis suae, secundum operationem, qua etiam possit subjicere sibi omnia. [Phil. iii. 21]
Secondly, the kingdom of heaven is said to the the glory of paradise. No wonder, for a kingdom is said to be nothing other than government. The best government, however, is where nothing is found contrary to the will of the ruler. Now the will of God is the salvation of men, for He wants men to be saved; and this will be most especially in Paradise, where there will be nothing contrary to the salvation of men: “They shall gather out of his kingdom all scandals.[5] In this world, however, thereare many things contrary to the salvation of men. When, therefore, we pray”Thy kingdom come,” let us pray that we may be partakers of the heavenly kingdom and the glory of Paradise.
Secundo regnum caelorum dicitur gloria Paradisi. Nec mirum: nam regnum nihil aliud dicitur nisi regimen. Ibi autem est optimum regimen ubi nihil invenitur contra voluntatem regentis. Voluntas autem Dei est salus hominum, quia vult homines salvos fieri; et hoc potissime erit in Paradiso, ubi nihil erit saluti hominum repugnans. Matth. XIII, 41: auferentur de regno eius omnia scandala. In mundo autem isto sunt multa contra salutem hominum. Cum ergo petimus: adveniat regnum tuum, oramus, ut simus participes regni caelestis et gloriae Paradisi.
[5] The Son of man shall send his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all scandals, and them that work iniquity. Mittet Filius hominis angelos suos, et colligent de regno ejus omnia scandala, et eos qui faciunt iniquitatem. [Matt. xiii. 41]
Why we desire this Kingdom
This kingdom is greatly to be desired on account of three reasons:
1. firstly, because of the perfect justice therein: “ And thy people shall be all just.”[1] Here (in this world), the bad are intermingled with the good; but in heaven there will be no bad souls or sinners.
2. On account of its most perfect liberty: for here, there is no liberty although all men naturally desire it; but in heaven there will be every form of liberty and no form of servitude: “ Because the creature also itself shall be delivered from the servitude of corruption.”[2] And not only will everyone there be free, but they will be kings: “ And hast made us to our God a kingdom.”[3] The reason for this is because everyone will be of one will with God’ and God shall will whatever the saints will, and the saints shall will God’s will. Thus all shall reign because the will of all is done and the Lord will be the crown of everyone: “ In that day the Lord of hosts shall be a crown of glory and a garland of joy to the residue of his people: ”[4]
3. On account of the wondrous riches: “ The eye hath not seen, O God, besides thee, what things thou hast prepared for them that wait for thee;”[5] “Who satisfieth thy desire with good things:”[6]
Quod quidem regnum est valde desiderandum propter tria. Primum propter summam iustitiam quae est in eo. Isai. LX, 21: populus tuus omnes iusti. Hic enim mali sunt mixti bonis; sed ibi nullus malus erit, et nullus peccator. Item propter perfectissimam libertatem. Hic enim non est libertas, quanquam omnes naturaliter desiderent eam; sed ibi erit omnimoda libertas contra omnem servitutem. Rom. VIII, 21: ipsa creatura liberabitur a corruptione. Et non solum erunt ibi omnes liberi, sed erunt reges: Apoc. V, 10: fecisti nos Deo nostro regnum. Cuius ratio est, quia omnes erunt eiusdem voluntatis cum Deo, et Deus volet quidquid sancti volent, et sancti quidquid Deus voluerit: unde cum voluntate Dei fiet voluntas eorum. Et ideo omnes regnabunt, quia omnium voluntas fiet, et dominus erit corona omnium. Isai. XXVIII, 5: in die illa erit dominus exercituum corona gloriae, et sertum exultationis residuo populi sui. Item propter mirabilem affluentiam. Isai. LXIV, 4: oculus non vidit, Deus, absque te, quae praeparasti expectantibus te. Psal. CII, 5: qui replet in bonis desiderium tuum.
[1] And thy people shall be all just, they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hand to glorify me. Populus autem tuus omnes justi; in perpetuum haereditabunt terram, germen plantationis meae, opus manus meae ad glorificandum. [Isai. lx. 21]
[2] Because the creature also itself shall be delivered from the servitude of corruption, into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. quia et ipsa creatura liberabitur a servitute corruptionis in libertatem gloriae filiorum Dei.[Rom. viii. 21]
[4] And hast made us to our God a kingdom and priests, and we shall reign on the earth. et fecisti nos Deo nostro regnum, et sacerdotes : et regnabimus super terram. [Apoc. v. 10]
[5] From the beginning of the world they have not heard, nor perceived with the ears: the eye hath not seen, O God, besides thee, what things thou hast prepared for them that wait for thee. A saeculo non audierunt, neque auribus perceperunt; oculus non vidit, Deus, absque te, quae praeparasti exspectantibus te. [Isai. lxiv. 4]
[6] Who satisfieth thy desire with good things: thy youth shall be renewed like the eagle's. qui replet in bonis desiderium tuum : renovabitur ut aquilae juventus tua. [Ps. cii. 5]
Note that man will find everything that he seeks in the world in God alone, but more excellently and more perfectly. If you seek delight, you will find the sublimest delight in God; if riches, there you will find such a sufficiency as to be accounted an abundance, and so on with whatever other things (you seek). “When a soul leaves Thee and seeks outside Thee pleasures of the flesh, it does not find what is pure and clean until it returns to Thee.”[1]
Et nota quod homo inveniet omnia in solo Deo excellentius et perfectius omni eo quod in mundo quaeritur. Si delectationem quaeris, summam invenies in Deo; si divitias, ibi omnem sufficientiam invenies, propter quam sunt divitiae; et sic de aliis. Augustinus, in Confess.: anima cum fornicatur abs te, quaerit extra te, quae pura et limpida non invenit, nisi cum redit ad te.
Finally, because sometimes in this world sin reigns. This is when a man is so disposed that he immediately follows and consummates a desire for sin. “ Let no sin therefore reign in your mortal body”:[2] but God must reign in thy heart; and this is when a man is prepared to serve God and to keep all His commandments. When, therefore, we pray that His kingdom may come, we pray that God may reign in our heart and not sin.
Tertio modo, quia aliquando in mundo isto regnat peccatum. Et hoc est quando homo est ita dispositus quod statim sequitur et prosequitur appetitum peccati. Apostolus, Rom. VI, 12: non ergo regnet peccatum in vestro mortali corpore: sed debet Deus regnare in corde tuo. Isai. VII, 7: Sion, regnabit Deus tuus. Et hoc est quando paratus est obedire Deo, et servare omnia mandata sua. Cum ergo petimus quod veniat regnum, oramus quod non regnet in nobis peccatum, sed Deus.
Through this petition, may we arrive at that blessedness of which it is said: “Blessed are the meek:”[3] for according to the first explanation (above), from which man desires that God should be the Lord of all things, let him not seek revenge for injuries suffered but let him reserve that for God. For if you avenge yourself, you do not pray that His kingdom may come. Secondly, according to the second explanation, if you are waiting for His kingdom to come, namely the glory of Paradise, you should not worry if you lose earthly things. And, according to the third explanation, if you pray that God may reign in you, and Christ: because he was most meek, then you too ought to be meek: “learn of me, because I am meek;”[4] “and took with joy the being stripped of your own goods.”[5]
Per hanc autem petitionem perveniemus ad beatitudinem, de qua dicitur Matth. V, 4: beati mites: nam secundum primam expositionem, ex quo homo desiderat quod Deus sit dominus omnium, non vindicat se de iniuria sibi illata, sed reservat eam Deo. Nam si vindicares te, non quaereres quod adveniret regnum eius. Secundum vero secundam expositionem, si tu expectas regnum eius, idest gloriam Paradisi, non debes curare si perdis res mundanas. Item secundum tertiam expositionem, si tu petis quod Deus regnet in te et Christus; cum ipse fuerit mitissimus, et tu debes esse mitis. Matth. XI, 29: discite a me, quia mitis sum. Hebr. X, 34: rapinam bonorum vestrorum cum gaudio suscepistis.
[1] "Confessions," II, 6.
[2] Let no sin therefore reign in your mortal body, so as to obey the lusts thereof. Non ergo regnet peccatum in vestro mortali corpore ut obediatis concupiscentiis ejus. [Rom. vi. 12]
[3] Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land. Beati mites : quoniam ipsi possidebunt terram. [Matt. v. 4]
[4] Take up my yoke upon you, and learn of me, because I am meek, and humble of heart: and you shall find rest to your souls. Tollite jugum meum super vos, et discite a me, quia mitis sum, et humilis corde : et invenietis requiem animabus vestris. [Matt. xi. 29]
[5] For you both had compassion on them that were in bands, and took with joy the being stripped of your own goods, knowing that you have a better and a lasting substance. Nam et vinctis compassi estis, et rapinam bonorum vestrorum cum gaudio suscepistis, cognoscentes vos habere meliorem et manentem substantiam. [Hebr. x. 34]
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