Challoner - Lord's Prayer and Angelic Salutation

7/31/2019 Challoner - Lord's Prayer and Angelic Salutation

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LORDS PRATERAND THErELIG SALUTATIONBISHOP CHALLONI


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Lincoln Books: ^

THE LORD S PRAYER ANDTHE ANGELIC SALUTATION


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THELORD S PRAYERANDTHE ANGELICSALUTATIONBYBISHOP CHALLONERLONDONSOCIETY OF SS. PETERAND PAUL

32 GEORGE ST., HANOVER SQUARE,AND 302 REGENT STREET, W.

A . D . MCMXV


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THE LORD S PRAYER


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THE LORD S PRAYERTHE OUR FATHER

CONSIDER first,that divine hope cannot

lie idle in the soul, nor suffer her to beidle, but exercises the soul in prayer, as thegreat means of obtaining all the good she hopesfor. Now all the good that we are to hope andpray for, is marked out to us by our Lord, andcomprised in a very few words, in that excellentprayer which he has taught us, commonlycalled, The Lord s Prayer. Here, in seven shortpetitions, we pray for all that we are any waysauthorized by the word of God to hope for, forourselves, or for our neighbours, for body orsoul, for time or eternity. Here we are taughtto make a&s of all the most necessary virtues,of faith, hope, love of God, conformity to hisblessed will, charity for our neighbours, forgiveness of injuries, and repentance for our sins.Here we daily make a spiritual communion, byaspiring after the bread of life. O the excellence of this heavenly prayer; so short in words,that the meanest capacity may easily learn it,and so copious in its contents, that they might9


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10fill whole volumes ! And what a pity that thegenerality of Christians should run over thisadmirable prayer, with so little sense of whatthey are saying, and with dispositions so opposite to the import of those sacred petitions !

Consider 2dly, that in the beginning of thisdivine prayer, we call God our Father ; and weare authorized to call him so by the Son of Godhimself. Stand astonished, my soul, at thishigh favour : what greater dignity can any creature be raised to, than to be called and to be achild of God? to have him for our Father,who made heaven and earth, and who fillsheaven and earth with his infinite majesty? Omy soul, see thou never degenerate from thisdignity of a child of God, by behaving thyselfunworthy of such a Father. See thou nevermore make thyself a slave to sin, or Satan: Ochild of heaven, lie no longer groveling in themire of the earth. In this prayer we are taughtto address ourselves to our Father, who is inheaven, to the end,

that we may reflect whitherwe are to direct our thoughts when we pray>and that we may not suffer any attachment tothe things of the earth, by love and affection,to hinder them from freely flying up to heaven.My soul, where are thy thoughts in the time


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THE OUR FATHER I Iof

prayer? Do not irregular affe6tions chainthem down to the earth, when they ought tobe in heaven?

Consider 3dly, what encouragement it oughtto be to a Christian, when he goes to his prayers, to remember that he is presenting hispetitions to tc his Father:" and to such a Father,who has an incomparable love for his children;who encourages them to ask ; who teaches themin this excellent prayer, what they are to askfor ; who has frequently promised to grant themwhat they ask, provided it be good for them;and whose power, riches, bounty, and mercy,are all equally infinite. O ! let this title of ourFather, which we give to God in the Lord sprayer, raise our hopes in him; let it inflameour hearts with love for so amiable a Father;let it bespeak a reverential awe, a filial fear ofoffending such a parent, and an earnest desireof being ever a dutiful and obedient child.

Conclude ever to esteem and love this divineprayer; and daily to use it with a serious attention, and suitable devotion.


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HALLOWED BE THY NAMECONSIDER first, that the first petition ofV_^/ the Lord s prayer is contained in thesewords, " Hallowed be thy name: " that is, maythy name be ever blessed and praised, honouredand glorified ! This petition claims the firstplace in the Lord s prayer, as its undoubtedright; because the first and principal duty of aChristian is, to love his God with his wholeheart and soul, and therefore the first and principal thing he ought to desire and pray for is,the great honour and glory of God. His lovefor his God makes him rejoice, to think that heis, in himself, infinitely happy and glorious, andwill be so for all eternity, and that he is, andwill be eternally adored, praised, and glorifiedby all the Angels and Saints. But, then, itgrieves him to think, how little this infinitegoodness is known in this miserable world ; howlittle this great object of his love is loved herebelow; how little he is honoured, praised, andglorified by these very souls of ours, made byhim, and for him, and which can never behappy, but in the love and enjoyment of him.And therefore the intent of this petition is toremedy so great an evil; by earnestly beggingof the Sovereign Good, the source of all grace

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1 4 THE LORD S PRAYERand good, that he would glorify his own mostsacred name in us, by effectually teaching us tolove, serve, and glorify him.

Consider 2dly, that this petition contains anact of divine love, even of perfect charity andbenevolence, inasmuch as it expresses the longing desires of the soul for the greater honour,praise, and glory of her Maker, as the only goodshe can wish, or procure to his infinite Majesty.It contains also an act of the most perfectcharity for himself; because, in praying thatGod s name may be glorified in all, and by all,she desires, in the first place, that it may beglorified in herself, and by herself: now whatgreater good can she wish, or procure for herself, than that God may be ever glorified in her,and by her, and that her whole being may beever consecrated to his glory, for time andeternity? And as the most perfect act of charityfor our neighbours, is that by which we labourto procure their greatest good, and the like goodas we desire for ourselves; whilst by this petition, we dedicate our whole selves to the divineglory : we do as much for our neighbours also,by praying that God s name may be sanctifiedin them all, and by them all, both now andfor ever. And this love we here exercise, bothwith regard to ourselves and our neighbours,


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HALLOWED BE THY NAME 15is pure and perfect charity ; because God is boththe beginning and the end of it; inasmuch aswe love both ourselves and our neighbours,with relation to the greater glory of God. Thisdivine charity, in all its branches, is exercisedin this first petition.

Consider 3dly, that in praying for the hallowing or sanctifying of the name of God, we prayin effect, for the sanctification of the wholeworld; that the knowledge of the true andliving God, and of his Son Jesus Christ, maybe spread over all the earth ; that all nationsmay serve him, all tongues may praise him,and all hearts may love him ; in a word, thatall men upon earth may be Saints, and may beall happily united in publishing the glory ofGod s name, not merely by their words, butmuch more by their lives ; for this is the mostperfect way of sanctifying the name of God.See then, my soul, the vast extent of thispetition, by which we pray for all glory toGod ; and for all good to man, both for hereand hereafter; and let thy heart go alongwith thy tongue, as often as thou repeatest it.

Conclude to let this earnest desire of thegreater glory of God in all things, be ever thepredominant passion of thy heart, and he willglorify thee for all eternity.


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THY KINGDOM COME/CONSIDER first, that in this second peti-V.x tion, we pray for the kingdom of God.Now we find in holy writ, that the kingdomof God is understood in three different ways.First, of the eternal kingdom of God in heaven.2dly, of the spiritual kingdom of Christ, in hisChurch upon earth. 3dly, of the mysticalkingdom of God, in our souls, according to thatof our Saviour^ (Luke, xvii, 21,) "The kingdom of God is within you." And in this petition, "thy kingdom come," we pray for thekingdom of God, according to all these threeacceptations of his kingdom. See, my soul,how ample and extensive this petition is, andhow noble and sublime those things are, whichthou art here taught to petition for. Standastonished that a poor worm of the earth, extracted from nothing, and which is infinitelymore humbling, taken up from the dunghill ofsin and corruption, should be authorized toaspire after a kingdom, even an eternal kingdom ; to live and reign for endless ages, withthe living God. Yet this we are here taught to

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1 8 THE LORD S PRAYERpray for, with an assurance of being heard, ifwe pray as we ought, from him who has the disposing of this kingdom. And this is one partof the import of this petition, and contains anacl: of divine hope.

Consider 2dly, that as the kingdom of Godis often taken in the Scriptures to signify thatspiritual kingdom which Christ came to establish upon earth ; and his reign in his Church,in which he is both King and Priest for ever;so, in this petition, we are also to have an eyeupon the propagation, and exaltation of thiskingdom of Christ; by earnestly begging thatthe reign of Satan and of Sin, may have an end ;that all infidels may be enlightened by thelight of the gospel; that all heresies, schisms,errors, and abuses may be rooted out; that allvices and scandals may be abolished amongChristians, and that divine faith, hope, andcharity, with all other virtues, may reign bothin all the pastors of God s Church, and in allthe people of God. So that here is also exercised an acl of perfect love, both with relationto God, by desiring that his kingdom, his grace,and his truth, may be victorious over all theworld; and with relation to all mankind, bypraying that all men may be subdued to that


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THY KINGDOM COME 19happy kingdom, and may be true and faithfulsubje&s to this great King.

Consider 3dly, that, as true charity shouldbegin at home, we are particularly to have inview in this petition, the establishment of thekingdom of God in our own souls, by heartilydesiring, and earnestly praying, that God maycome to us, and take full possession of oursouls, by his grace; that he may set up histhrone within us, and reign without control,and without rival in our hearts ; that he maysuppress all rebellions there, subdue all ourpassions, and make our whole interior his own,by giving us a strong and perfect love for him.O blessed kingdom of divine love ! When wiltthou come to me ? When shalt thou be established in my soul? When shall thy sacredflames consume in me all that is in any waysdispleasing to my God, or that dares to rebelagainst him?

Conclude to make it thy business to seek, inthe first place, this kingdom of God, by procuring his justice in thy soul; and, as he haspromised, nothing else shall be wanting tothee. God must first be king in thy soul here,if thou ever hope to arrive at his eternal kingdom hereafter.


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THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH,AS IT IS IN HEAVENONSIDER first, that in this third petition,the soul embraces with all her heart, the

holy will of God, earnestly desiring and praying that both she herself, and every soul uponearth, may ever be, both a faithful servant andtrue lover of the Divine will, even as theSaints and Angels are in Heaven, who are soabsorbed in the love of God, that they haveno other will but the will of God. So thatthis petition, like the two former, contains anacl: of divine love. A love of benevolence toGod, inasmuch as the soul here desires to giveall to God, and to bring both her own willand all other wills to him; that all may embrace, bow down, and adore, love, serve, andobey the sacred will of God and conform to itin all things. And a love of the most perfectcharity to ourselves and to our neighbours; indesiring and procuring for ourselves and themso great a good, as is this perfect conformityto the will of God, and that God s holy willmay be ever done, both in us and by us.21


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22Consider 2dly, how just it is that we should

ever adhere to the holy will of God, and praywith all our hearts, that his holy will may bedone in all things. The will of God is alwaysgood, is always right and equitable, is alwaysbeautiful ; and therefore we ought always toembrace it and love it. He perfe&ly knowswhat is best, and what is best for us; and ifwe will leave ourselves in his hands, he willcertainly order all things for the best, andtherefore it is our wisest way, if we love ourselves, to give ourselves up to his holy will.The will of God is all-powerful, and must takeplace; and therefore it is madness to set ourselves against his almighty will; it serves fornothing but to make us miserable. The willof God in effecl:, is God himself, and thereforewe must ever submit and obey it; we mustalways bow down and adore his sacred will.

Consider 3dly, that the will of God oughtto be the Christian s rule in all things. In allour deliberations, whether with regard to temporals or spirituals, we ought first to consultthe holy will of God, crying out to him withthe convert, St. Paul, Ads, ix, 6, " Lord, whatwilt thou have me to do?" And this with asincere desire to know, and a perfect readiness


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THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH 23of mind to follow his will, whichever way heis pleased to order or direct; not seeking thathis will should bend to ours, but that ours mayever conform to his. And as, in all our doings,we must to the best of our knowledge andpower, follow the will of God ; so, in all oursufferings we must resign and submit ourselvesto his blessed will, assuring ourselves, that nothing happens to us in this kind but by theappointment of heaven, and that all comesfrom the hand of him that knows what is best,because he is infinitely wise, and sends whatis for the best, because he is infinitely good andgood to us.

Conclude ever to recite this third petition ofthe Lord s prayer, with these dispositions ofthe love of God and of the holy will, and of aperfect conformity in all things to his holywill. We read of a servant of God (GregoryLopez) that for some years, at every breath,repeated the petition, "Thy will be done onearth, as it is in heaven!" O that we couldalways be in the like happy sentiments !


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GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILYBREADCONSIDER first, that after seeking in theV^x three first petitions, the greater glory ofthe name of God, the propagation of his kingdom, and the execution of his will both inheaven and in earth ; we are taught in thefourth petition to pray for all necessaries forourselves, both for soul and body, under thename of our daily bread, which we here begfor this short day of our mortal life, in orderto support us in our pilgrimage through thewilderness of this world, till we come to ourtrue country and to the happy day of everlasting light and life, in the heavenly kingdom ofour Father. As to the things of this world wepray for them with more indifference, as forthings of lesser consequence; and which, ifwe seek first the kingdom of God and his justice, our Father has promised to furnish us with,viz. as far as he shall see expedient for us; andwe pray for them for to-day^ being forbidden tobe solicitous for them for to-morrow. But whatwe are here more earnestly to pray for, is, the

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26bread which is to support the spiritual life ofour souls; viz., the grace of God, the word ofGod, and the holy sacraments. And this webeg both for ourselves and for all the world,from the great Pastor of souls.

Consider 2dly that the holy Fathers expoundthis petition as meant in particular, of the breadof life , which we receive in the blessed Eucharist, for the food, nourishment, strength, andlife of our souls. This bread is the sacred bodyand blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God ; whocalls himself the "living bread which camedown from heaven," John, vi, 51, and assuresus, that he "that eateth of this bread shalllive for ever:" and that "the bread which hewill give, is his flesh for the life of the world,"v. 52. This is here styled our daily bread, because given us for this our day of life, andgiven to be our daily support, by our partakingof it, either really, or spiritually, every day.O ! my soul, ever aspire after this heavenlybread, the source of all grace and true life.Admire and adore the incomprehensible ways,by which thy God seeks to communicate himself to thee; and see thou correspond with hisgoodness and love, by turning daily to him,and

giving thywhole self to him.


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GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD 27Consider 3dly, that the best way to answer

the principal intent of this petition, is by making a spiritual communion (as often as werepeat these words, give us this day our dailybread] by a lively faith and hope in JesusChrist, the true bread of life ; by aspiring afterhim, by love and desire, and by inviting himto come and take full possession of our souls,and to unite them to himself for time andeternity. Happy those souls that frequentlyin the day communicate in this manner!Conclude to pray for thy daily bread in suchmanner as to have ever principally in view this

bread of life, and to labour to partake of itdaily, at least, by a spiritual communion.


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FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES, ASWE FORGIVE THEM THAT TRESPASS AGAINST US

CONSIDER first, that in this fifth petition,our Lord has furnished us with a dailyremedy for those many evils into which wedaily fall. " We all offend in many things,"James, iii, 2, and not a day passes, in which weare not contracting fresh debts to our greatMaster, either by omission or commission, inthought, word, or deed. Therefore we oughtdaily to sue for a discharge, and to call formercy and forgiveness, with a truly penitentheart; and this is the design of this petition ofthe Lord s Prayer, which when recited withfervour, readily obtains the remission of thosedaily debts, and reinstates us in the good gracesof our master. These lesser faults into whichWe daily fall, if negle6led and suffered to growand multiply upon us, are of worse consequenceto our souls than we can well imagine; thewater that comes into the ship by small chinks,if not daily pumped out, may in time, increasein such manner as to sink the vessel. Thatthe like may never happen to our souls, wemust be daily repenting for these daily sins,and offering up daily for them the sacrifice of

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30 THE LORD S PRAYERa contrite and humble heart, as often as werepeat this petition of the Lord s Prayer.

Consider 2dly, that besides the obligation ofdaily labouring to procure the discharge ofthese daily debts, we must see if we have notreason to apprehend a more heavy load of debtlying upon our souls, on account of our pastsins ; more especially if, in any part of our life,we have lived in mortal sin. Alas ! the load ofsuch debts of these is immense, a sum of tenthousand talents, which we are utterly unableto discharge of ourselves ; and whether ourrepentance has been sufficient to apply to oursouls the discharge purchased by the blood ofChrist, we cannot tell. And therefore ourbest security is to be always repenting for ourpast sins, and to beg daily of God to forgiveus all the sins of our youth and our ignorance,to cleanse us from our hidden sins, and to bemerciful to us, with regard to the sins we mayhave any way occasioned in others. And withthis penitential spirit, for all our past sins,known or unknown, we ought to recite thispetition of the Lord s Prayer; and with itdaily present ourselves like Magdalene, at thefeet of our Redeemer, imploring his mercy,both for ourselves, and for all poor sinners.


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FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES 3!Consider 3dly, that in this petition we beg

of God to " forgive us our trespasses, as weforgive them that trespass against us." Whichwords were added by our Lord, to put us inmind, that we must not look for forgivenessfrom God of the offences we commit againsthim, if we do not forgive him from our hearts,the offences which our neighbours commitagainst us. See, Christians, how much ourLord takes to heart our forgiving one another,and loving our very enemies ; since, not content with frequently inculcating this duty onall other occasions, he was pleased to insert itin the very prayer he would have us daily to say,to the end we might never forget it. Let usthen examine well our dispositions in thisregard, and lay aside all rancour and animosityagainst our neighbours, when we go to sue formercy from God; otherwise we shall neverobtain the mercy we ask.Conclude to take occasion, from this petitionof the Lord s Prayer, to practise daily these threelessons : first, of a hearty repentance for thydaily sins; 2dly, of daily renewing thy sorrowand contrition for thy past offences ; and lastly,of daily exercising charity and mercy, in forgiving from thy heart all that have offended thee.


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LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATIONCONSIDER first, that after begging ofV_^/ our Lord, in the foregoing petition, theforgiveness of the sins we have already committed, we here beg of him to preserve us fromrelapsing into any of our former offences, orbeing ever any more guilty of wilful sin. Thetrue penitent abhors the monster of sin, beyond

all other evils whatsoever; and thereforehe is not content with seeking the remission ofall his offences, but is ever solicitous to avoidthe like evils, for the time to come ; and therefore he flies the occasions of them, seeks tokeep out of all dangerous temptations, andbeing sensible of his own weakness, he isearnest in prayer to beg of God to stand byhim, and to help him to overcome all theenemies of his soul, and rather to let him diea thousand deaths, than to commit one wilfulsin. And this is the principal meaning of thispetition, " Lead us not into temptation,"which ought to be recited by all Christians,with these dispositions of a great horror ofsin, and a most earnest desire to be ever preserved from it.


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34 THE LORD S PRAYERConsider 2dly, in what sense we here beg ofGod "not to lead us into temptation;" since,

as St. James says, chap, i, 13, "God is not atempter of evils, and he tempteth no man,"viz., so as to incite, allure, or provoke to sin.No certainly ; such temptations as these cannotbe from God, who is essentially good, and everabhors sin ; but they are from the world, theflesh, and the devil; yet as these never havepower to tempt us, but with God s permission,nor strength to overcome us, but when weneglect to apply in a proper manner to Godfor his grace; therefore we make use of thisexpression, to signify our total dependence onGod, and to beg that he would not give theenemy any power over us, nor suffer us to giveourselves up to him. Moreover, as those trials,which God often sends for the exercise of ourvirtue, and for the proof of our fidelity, arealso in Scripture called temptations; such asafflictions, crosses, pains, &c., of which God iscertainly the author and distributor; we begof him, by these words, Lead us not into temptation^ that with relation to all such trials asthese, he would ever have regard to our weakness, and never lay upon us any load above ourstrength.


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LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION 35Consider 3dly, with regard to temptations,

that they are no sins to us, if we give no wayto them, nor bring them upon us by our ownfaults. So far from it, that they are often theoccasions of very great good to our souls ; byobliging us to watch and to pray the more,from the sense of our dangers; by keeping ushumble, and by affording us the opportunity ofgaining us many victories, and consequentlyas many glorious crowns for all eternity, aswe have had conflicts with the enemy, byoccasion of temptations. Wherefore it is notthe meaning of this petition, to pray that wemay never have any temptation, (for thismight not be expedient for us) but that wemay never yield to temptation. But as for theseeking, or desiring temptations, it would betoo great a rashness to weak souls; and moreespecially with regard to temptations againstpurity, it would be a crime to affect them, or,without necessity, to expose one s self to them.Christians, let us learn to arm ourselves forthis warfare, with the armour of the fear ofGod, and a lively faith; let us stand upon ourguard by watching and praying; let us readilyand heartily resist the first attacks of theenemy ; let us bear with patience and humility


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LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION 37the labour and trouble of the conflict; butever reject with horror the criminal satisfaction proposed by the enemy.

Conclude to observe these rules with regardto temptations, to join always an humble distrust in thyself with a firm confidence in God ;and ever to have recourse to him, in all thyconflicts, by humble and fervent prayer, andthou shalt always come off with victory.

DELIVER US FROM EVIL/^ONSIDER first, that this petition is near^

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Challoner - Lord's Prayer and Angelic Salutation