Thy Will Be Done
From the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Simplified
Thy Will Be Done on Earth as It is in Heaven" (2822-2823)
Our Father "desires all men to be saved" (1 Tim 2:3), "not wishing that any should perish" (2 Pet 3:9). His commandment "Love one another even as I have loved you."
Paul wrote, "He has made known to us the mystery of his will... to gather up all things in Christ. In him we have also obtained an inheritance" (Eph 1:9-11). Therefore, we ask that this plan be fully realized on earth as in heaven.
Fulfilled in Jesus' Will (2824)
Through Christ's human will, the Father's will has been perfectly fulfilled. Only Jesus can say, "I always do what is pleasing to him" (Jn 8:29). Jesus prayed, "Not my will but yours be done" (Lk 22:42). He delivered us "from the present evil age, according to the will of the Father" (Gal 1:4). Now, we are sanctified "through the offering of his body" (Heb 10:10).
Surrendering Our Will (2825)
If Jesus "learned obedience through what he suffered" (Heb 5:8) we, (the children of adoption), should also learn obedience. Therefore, we ask that our will be united with Jesus' will for the life of the world. "In committing ourselves to Christ, we can become one spirit with him and thereby accomplish his will" (Origen).
"He teaches us to be humble by making us see that our virtue depends on grace from on high. He commands us to pray for the whole world on earth so that earth will not differ from heaven" (St. John Chrysostom).
Learning God's Will (2826-2827)
Jesus taught that we can only enter heaven by doing "the will of my Father in heaven" (Mt 7:21).
God listens to him who "is devout and does his will" (Jn 9:31). This is the power of the Church's prayer in the Eucharist. The Church also prays with Mary and the saints who have done God's will. "We can understand the words, ‘Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven' to mean ‘in the Church as in Our Lord Jesus Christ himself, in the Bride just as in the Bridegroom'" (St. Augustine).
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