Replies

Saturday of the Sixth week of Easter

Commentary of the day
Saint Cyprian (c.200-258), Bishop of Carthage and martyr
The Lord's Prayer, § 26-28 (trans. ©The Fathers of the Church)

"Whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you"

“Lead us not into temptation” (Mt 6,13)... When we ask that we come not into temptation, we are reminded of our infirmity and weakness, lest someone extol himself insolently, lest someone proudly and arrogantly assume something to himself, lest someone think the glory of confession or passion to be his own, although the Lord himself, teaching humility, has said: “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Mk 14,38). If humble and submissive confession precedes and all is ascribed to God, whatever is sought suppliantly, with fear and honor of God, by reason of his loving kindness will be granted.

In summation of this prayer, there comes a little clause concluding all our petitions and prayer in compact brevity. For at the very last we state: “But deliver us from evil,” by which we comprehend all adversities which the enemy undertakes against us in this world, from which there can be strong and faithful protection if God delivers us and if, as we implore, he furnishes us his aid. Moreover, when we say “Deliver us from evil”, nothing remains for which we should ask still further... We stand secure and safe against all the works of the devil and the world. For what fear is there with regard to the world for one who has God as protector in this world?

What wonder, most beloved brethren, if such is the prayer that God has taught, who by His instruction has abbreviated our every prayer in a saving word?... For when the Word of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, came to all, and gathering together the learned and unlearned alike gave forth the precepts of salvation to every sex and age, he made a great compendium of his precepts... Thus, when he taught what eternal life is, he embraced the sacrament of life with great and divine brevity, saying: “Now this is life eternal, that they may know you, the only true God, and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ” (Jn 17,3).