Lesson 9: The Lord’s Prayer Lesson 9
The Lord’s Prayer
Take 10 minutes to reflect on the following introduc on to this lesson. Background for the Catechist
Reflection/Doctrinal Reference
The tradi onal expression ‘the Lord's Prayer’ – ora o Dominica – means that the prayer to our Father is taught and given to us by the Lord Jesus. The prayer that comes to us from Jesus is truly unique: it is ‘of the Lord’. On the one hand, in the words of this prayer the only Son gives us the words the Father gave him: he is the master of our prayer. On the other, as Word incarnate, he knows in his human heart the needs of his human brothers and sisters and reveals them to us: he is the model of our prayer (CCC, n. 2765). When we pray to the Father, we are in communion with him and with his Son, Jesus Christ (1 Jn 1: 3). Then we know and recognise him with an ever new sense of wonder. The first phrase of the Our Father is a blessing of adora on before it is a supplica on. For it is the glory of God that we should recognise him as ‘Father’, the true God. We give him thanks for having revealed his name to us, for the gi of believing in it, and for the indwelling of his Presence in us (CCC, n. 2781). The Lord’s Prayer, also called the Our Father, is the perfect pa ern for Chris an prayer because it was given to us by Jesus, God’s own Son. Prayer was a key aspect of Jesus’ life and mission and when his disciples saw him at prayer they wanted to learn from him. As the form of the prayer indicates, the first characteris c of prayer is praise and honour of God and a plea that God’s kingdom and God’s will be realised at all mes and everywhere. The second part is a plea for bread that will sustain us, for forgiveness of our sins in propor on to the forgiveness we offer others and that we will not be tried beyond our strength and be saved from evil. The Lord’s Prayer is a prayer that can never be exhausted of meaning and takes a life me to learn to pray a en vely. The first step is learning it by heart. Then Chris ans spend the remainder of their lives growing into this prayer, gradually apprecia ng its richness and allowing its concerns to become their concerns, its challenges their challenges, its consola ons their consola ons. Student Focus
There have been many lessons in previous years that have helped the students learn this tradi onal prayer of our faith. You will find that many students will be able to recite this prayer but may not understand the deeper meaning. Students of this age will understand the deeper meaning o en found in various forms of literature and thus be able to appreciate the complexity of this prayer. Purpose of Lesson
The Lord’s Prayer, also called the ‘Our Father’, shows us how to pray to the Father. Remembering Point
The Lord’s Prayer shows us how to pray to the Father. Abbrevia ons: CCC Catechism of the Catholic Church The Good News of Jesus (5 / 6 Year A) 1 Catechist Sheets Lesson 9: The Lord’s Prayer Beginning
Preparation
(3 minutes)
1. Prayer focus: A cloth, a candle or an electric tea light, and the Bible. Welcome the students as usual and gather them around the prayer focus. Distribute the student sheets to students and ask them to look at the prayer Our Father. 2. Student sheets. Tell the students: today we are going to focus on the Lord’s Prayer, be er known as the Our Father. 4. Blu‐Tack. Catechist: 5. Highlighters for students. Let us pray the Our Father together. All: Our Father … Tell the students: This prayer is from the Bible and is Jesus’ response to a request from the disciples to be taught how to pray. 3. An A3 sheet of paper. 6. Four pieces of paper, each containing a part of the Our Father. (Appendix 9). Middle (22 minutes)
Hand out the student sheets. Invite the students to look at the Our Father in the circle and to look for a word that means ‘praising God’ and highlight it with a highlighter (Hallowed), and to highlight in the prayer what we request for our body (daily bread),
highlight in the prayer what we request for our soul (forgive us, lead us, deliver us). Ask the students: · What might asking for daily bread mean for us today? (There is no one
answer to this ques on.) · What does asking for forgiveness mean for us today? (There is no one
answer to this ques on.) · What are we asking God to do for us today when we say lead us not
into tempta on? (There is no one answer to this ques on.) (Affirm the students’ answers. Remember to allow them to explore these
ques ons for themselves. You might have an understanding of what these
phrases in the Lord’s Prayer mean for you, but giving students the
opportunity to ar culate their understanding will make the prayer
relevant for them, today. They might then use the prayer more o en and
strengthen their rela onship with God.) Divide the class into four groups. Give each group a piece of paper on which one part of the Our Father has been wri en (See Appendix 9).  Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread.  And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.  Lead us not into tempta on but deliver us from evil. Tell the students: In your groups translate your phrase of the Our Father into contemporary language. You might like to do this in the form of a tweet or an SMS. The Good News of Jesus (5 / 6 Year A) 2 Catechist Sheets Lesson 9: The Lord’s Prayer Display a sheet of A3 paper (divided horizontally into four sec ons) on the wall or whiteboard. Invite the students to s ck their contemporary transla on into the appropriate sec on. Invite a student: from each group to read their contribu on to the contemporary version of the Our Father and explain their choice of words. End
(3 minutes)
Gather the students around the prayer focus. Put up the A3 sheet with the students’ contemporary version of the Our Father on the table or on the wall behind the table. Invite the students to share in saying the contemporary Our Father that they as a group have wri en. All: In the name of the Father ... (Students read the groups contemporary
Our Father together)
Amen Dismiss the students as usual. The Good News of Jesus (5 / 6 Year A) 3 Catechist Sheets Lesson 9: The Lord’s Prayer Appendix 9 – The Our Father
The Good News of Jesus (5 / 6 Year A) Give us this day our daily bread.
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom
come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Photocopy, cut out phrase and give one to each group.. 4 Catechist Sheets Lesson 9: The Lord’s Prayer Appendix 9 – The Our Father
The Good News of Jesus (5 / 6 Year A) Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
Photocopy, cut out phrase and give one to each group.. 5 Catechist Sheets