Episode Overview

Theme:
This episode, Day 353 of The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz), centers on the introduction to the Lord’s Prayer (“Our Father”) as presented in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Fr. Mike unpacks its biblical and historical context, explores why it’s referred to as the “summary of the whole Gospel,” and clarifies practical liturgical questions, especially the differences in how the Lord’s Prayer is recited among different Christian traditions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Stage: The Lord’s Prayer in the Life of the Church

• Scriptural Context:
  Jesus’ disciples ask him how to pray. In response, Jesus gives them — and us — the Lord’s Prayer (00:55).
• Dual Versions:
  • St. Luke presents a shorter version with five petitions.
  • St. Matthew offers a longer version with seven petitions — the version retained by the Church for liturgical use (03:00).

2. What’s Up with the Doxology? (“For thine is the kingdom…”)

• Common Question:
  Differences arise between Catholics and other Christians on the ending of the Lord’s Prayer.
  • Catholics often stop at “…deliver us from evil,” while others continue with “…for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory…” (02:30 – 03:35).
• Historical Explanation:
  • Early Christians ended the Lord’s Prayer with a doxology in liturgical contexts, as evidenced in the Didache.
  • The phrase “for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever” was a later liturgical addition, not part of the biblical text itself.
  • Byzantine tradition even adds “Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” (08:55).
• Liturgical Practices:
  • Catholics wait for the priest’s concluding prayer before the congregation says the doxology.
  • Fr. Mike:

    “The Church’s practice doesn’t change the essence of Jesus’ prayer, but adds a liturgical flourish to give God further glory at the end.” (08:15)

3. “The Summary of the Whole Gospel”

• Ancient Wisdom:
  Quoting Tertullian:

  “The Lord’s Prayer is truly the summary of the whole Gospel.” (09:20)

• St. Augustine’s Insight:

  “Run through all the words of the holy prayers in Scripture, and I do not think you will find anything in them that is not contained and included in the Lord’s Prayer.” (07:30, 10:00)

• What This Means:
  • The Lord’s Prayer encompasses the essence of Christian belief, the priorities of the faith, and the right ordering of our desires.
  • “If we get the identity of God wrong, we get everything wrong. But if we know God as ‘Our Father,’ everything changes.” (11:15)

4. The Prayer’s Purpose: Reordering the Heart

• The Lord’s Prayer as Foundation:

  “The Lord’s Prayer is said first as the foundation of further desires.” (Tertullian, 10:20)

• Sequence of Desires:
  • St. Thomas Aquinas:

    “In it we ask not only for all things we can rightly desire, but also in the sequence that they should be desired.” (12:10)

  • The prayer models how to desire things rightly, placing God first and helping us align our hearts.

5. The Lord’s Prayer and the Sermon on the Mount

• Catechism’s Connection:
  The Lord’s Prayer is the heart of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), both as prayer and as a guide for life (13:00).
  • Both aim to give new form to our desires—the “ethos” of our lives.
  • The Spirit works through these to reorder our hearts and help us live as God’s children.
• Memorable Summary:

  “The rightness of our life in him will depend on the rightness of our prayer.” (13:45)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On showing up:

  “At the end here, I’m getting punchy... But here we are in day 353, and you’re here, as always—you’re the most reliable, predictable people I know.” (Fr. Mike, 01:20)

• On the core of Christian prayer:

  “If we don’t know that God is our dad that we can trust right, then what are we going to do? We’re going to even look at gifts with suspicion, much less crosses or burdens…but when we know that God is Our Father, everything changes. Everything changes.” (Fr. Mike, 11:25)

• On unity and difference:

  “Here is the core prayer that Jesus gave us, and the body of the Church, the family of God, wants to give God even further glory and so has added to the end. Again, haven’t changed the prayer…but just gives God glory at the end of this prayer.” (Fr. Mike, 09:15)

• The heart of it all:

  “The rightness of our life in him will depend on the rightness of our prayer.” (Fr. Mike quoting the Catechism, 13:45)

• Closing encouragement:

  “I’m praying for you. Please pray for me. My name is Father Mike. I cannot wait to see you tomorrow. God bless.” (15:15)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Time | Segment | |-----------|---------------------------------------------| | 00:55 | Introduction to the Lord’s Prayer | | 03:00 | Matthew vs. Luke: Two versions explained | | 07:30 | St. Augustine on comprehensiveness of prayer| | 08:15-09:15| History of the doxology (“for thine…”) | | 10:20 | Tertullian on foundation of all desires | | 11:25 | The critical importance of “Our Father” | | 12:10 | Aquinas: the order of our desires | | 13:00 | Sermon on the Mount and ethos | | 13:45 | Catechism: “The rightness of our life…” | | 15:00 | Closing prayer |

Final Thoughts

This episode lays the groundwork for a deep exploration of the Lord’s Prayer: not just as a set of words, but as the very heart of Christian life and belief. Fr. Mike highlights how its theology, history, and practical use shape believers—reminding us why knowing, meaning, and trusting the words “Our Father” is so vital.