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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.
Who art in Heaven
"Who art in Heaven." Among all the other things which are necessary to one praying, trust is most important. “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.”[1] Whence the Lord, teaching us to pray, puts forward those things from which trust is generated within us, namely:
• from the kindness of a father; whence He says “Our Father,” according to what is written: “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father from heaven give the good Spirit to them that ask him?”[2]
• and from the greatness of His power, whence He says: “Who art in Heaven;” and “To thee have I lifted up my eyes, who dwellest in heaven.”[3]
Qui es in caelis. Inter cetera quae oranti sunt necessaria, fiducia plurimum valet. Iac. I, 6: postulet autem in fide, nihil haesitans. Unde dominus nos orare docens, ea praemittit ex quibus in nobis fiducia generetur: scilicet ex benignitate patris: unde pater noster dicit, secundum illud Luc. XI, 13: si vos, cum sitis mali, nostis bona data dare filiis vestris; quanto magis pater vester caelestis de caelo dabit spiritum bonum petentibus se? Et ex magnitudine potestatis: unde dicit, qui es in caelis. Unde Psal. CXXII, 1: ad te levavi oculos meos qui habitas in caelis.
[1] But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, which is moved and carried about by the wind. Postulet autem in fide nihil haesitans : qui enim haesitat, similis est fluctui maris, qui a vento movetur et circumfertur : [Iac. i. 6]
[2] If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father from heaven give the good Spirit to them that ask him? Si ergo vos, cum sitis mali, nostis bona data dare filiis vestris : quanto magis Pater vester de caelo dabit spiritum bonum petentibus se? [Luc. xi. 13]
[3] To thee have I lifted up my eyes, who dwellest in heaven. Canticum graduum. Ad te levavi oculos meos, qui habitas in caelis. [Ps. Cxxii. 1]
Now this can pertain to three things:
Firstly, unto a preparation for the one praying, for it is written: “Before prayer prepare thy soul;”[1] so that it may be understood, “in Heaven” – this is: in celestial glory. “Your reward is very great in heaven."[2] And this preparation ought to be in imitation of heavenly things, for the son should imitate the father. Whence it is said: “Therefore as we have borne the image of the earthly, let us bear also the image of the heavenly.”[3] Whence the Apostle said: “But our conversation is in heaven;[4] And through attention to heavenly things, so that, from Him Who is in Heaven, we may seek nothing other than Heavenly things: “Seek the things that are above; where Christ is.”[5]
Potest autem hoc ad tria pertinere. Primo quidem ad orantis praeparationem: quia dicitur Eccli. XVIII, 23: ante orationem praepara animam tuam: ut intelligatur, in caelis, hoc est in caelesti gloria, secundum illud Matth. V, 12: merces vestra copiosa est in caelis. Et haec praeparatio debet esse per caelestium imitationem, quia filius debet imitari patrem. Unde dicitur I Cor. XV, 49: sicut portavimus imaginem terreni, portemus et imaginem caelestis. Item per caelestium contemplationem: quia homines solent frequentius cogitationem dirigere ubi habent patrem et alia quae diligunt, secundum illud Matth. VI, 21: ubi est thesaurus tuus, ibi est et cor tuum. Unde dicebat apostolus Philip. III, 20: nostra conversatio in caelis est. Et per caelestium intentionem, ut ab eo qui in caelis est, non nisi caelestia quaeramus, secundum illud Coloss. III, 1: quae sursum sunt quaerite, ubi Christus est.
[1] Before prayer prepare thy soul: and be not as a man that tempteth God. Ante orationem praepara animam tuam, et noli esse quasi homo qui tentat Deum. [Eccli. xviii. 23]
[2] Before prayer prepare thy soul: and be not as a man that tempteth God. Ante orationem praepara animam tuam, et noli esse quasi homo qui tentat Deum. [Eccli. xviii. 23]
[3] Therefore as we have borne the image of the earthly, let us bear also the image of the heavenly. Igitur, sicut portavimus imaginem terreni, portemus et imaginem caelestis. [I Cor. xv. 49]
[4] But our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ, Nostra autem conversatio in caelis est : unde etiam Salvatorem exspectamus Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum, [Phil. iii. 20]
[5] Therefore, if you be risen with Christ, seek the things that are above; where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God: Igitur, si consurrexistis cum Christo : quae sursum sunt quaerite, ubi Christus est in dextera Dei sedens : [Col. iii. 1]
Secondly, the words “Who art in heaven” can pertain to the ease of the One Who is listening, for He is close to us; by the words Who art “in Heaven” may be taken to mean in the saints, in whom God dwells: “Thou, O Lord, art among us;[1] for God dwells in the saints through faith: “ That Christ may dwell by faith in your hearts;” [2] and through love: “qui manet in caritate, in Deo manet, et Deus in eo;”[3] and through keeping the commandments: “If any one love me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and will make our abode with him.”[4]
Secundo potest pertinere quod dicitur, qui es in caelis, ad audientis facilitatem, quia propinquus est nobis; ut intelligatur, qui es in caelis, idest in sanctis, in quibus Deus habitat, secundum illud Ier. XIV, 9: tu in nobis es domine. Sancti enim caeli dicuntur, secundum illud Psal. XVIII, 2: caeli enarrant gloriam Dei. Habitat autem Deus in sanctis per fidem: Ephes. III, 17: Christum habitare per fidem in cordibus vestris. Per dilectionem: I Ioan. IV, 16: qui manet in caritate in Deo manet, et Deus in eo. Per mandatorum impletionem Ioan. XIV, 23: si quis diligit me, sermonem meum servabit; et pater meus diliget eum, et ad eum veniemus, et mansionem apud eum faciemus.
[1] Why wilt thou be as a wandering man, as a mighty man that cannot save? but thou, O Lord, art among us, and thy name is called upon by us, forsake us not. Quare futurus es velut vir vagus, ut fortis qui non potest salvare? Tu autem in nobis es, Domine, et nomen tuum invocatum est super nos : ne derelinquas nos. [Ier. xiv. 9]
[2] That Christ may dwell by faith in your hearts; that being rooted and founded in charity, Christum habitare per fidem in cordibus vestris : in caritate radicati, et fundati, [Eph. iii. 17]
[3] And we have known, and have believed the charity, which God hath to us. God is charity: and he that abideth in charity, abideth in God, and God in him. Et nos cognovimus, et credidimus caritati, quam habet Deus in nobis. Deus caritas est : et qui manet in caritate, in Deo manet, et Deus in eo. [I Ioan, iv. 16]
[4] Jesus answered, and said to him: If any one love me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and will make our abode with him. Respondit Jesus, et dixit ei : Si quis diligit me, sermonem meum servabit, et Pater meus diliget eum, et ad eum veniemus, et mansionem apud eum faciemus; [Ioan. xiv. 23
Thirdly, the words “Who art in Heaven” can pertain to the power of the One Who is listening in that He is not included in what we style the corporeal heavens: “heaven, and the heavens of heavens cannot contain thee:”[1] but hereby is meant that God is perspicacious in His contemplation, as being one who sees from on high: “He hath looked forth from his high sanctuary;"[2] and that He is sublime in His power: “The Lord hath prepared his throne in heaven:"[3] and that He is without change in eternity: “But thou, O Lord, endurest for ever;”[4] again: “and thy years shall not fail.”[5] Whence it is said of Christ: “and his throne as the days of heaven.”[6]
Tertio potest pertinere quod dicitur, qui es in caelis, ad efficaciam exaudientis; ut per caelos, corporeos caelos intelligamus: non quod Deus corporalibus caelis includatur, secundum illud III Reg. VIII, 27: caelum et caeli caelorum te capere non possunt; sed ut significetur quod Deus est perspicax in consideratione, utpote qui de alto videt: Psal. ci, 20: prospexit de excelso sancto suo; et quod sublimis est in potestate, secundum illud Psal. CII, 19: dominus in caelo paravit sedem suam; et quod stabilis est in aeternitate, secundum illud Psal. ci, 13: tu autem in aeternum permanes; item 28: et anni tui non deficient. Unde et de Christo dicitur Psal. LXXXVIII, 30: thronum eius sicut dies caeli.
[1] Is it then to be thought that God should indeed dwell upon earth? for if heaven, and the heavens of heavens cannot contain thee, how much less this house which I have built? Ergone putandum est quod vere Deus habitet super terram? Si enim caelum, et caeli caelorum te capere non possunt, quanto magis domus haec, quam aedificavi? [III Reg. viii. 27]
[2] Because he hath looked forth from his high sanctuary: from heaven the Lord hath looked upon the earth. Quia prospexit de excelso sancto suo, Dominus de caelo in terram aspexit; [Ps. ci. 20]
[3] The Lord hath prepared his throne in heaven: and his kingdom shall rule over all. Dominus in caelo paravit sedem suam, et regnum ipsius omnibus dominabitur. [Ps. cii. 19]
[4] But thou, O Lord, endurest for ever: and thy memorial to all generations. Tu autem, Domine, in aeternum permanes, et memoriale tuum in generationem et generationem. [Ps. ci. 13]
[5] But thou art always the selfsame, and thy years shall not fail. tu autem idem ipse es, et anni tui non deficient. [Ps. ci. 28]
[6] And I will make his seed to endure for evermore: and his throne as the days of heaven. Et ponam in saeculum saeculi semen ejus, et thronum ejus sicut dies caeli. [Ps. lxxxviii. 30]
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