583. How is it possible to address God as “Father”? (part 3 continuation)
(Comp 583 repetition) We can invoke the
“Father” because the Son of God made man has revealed him to us and because his
Spirit makes him known to us. The invocation, Father, lets us enter into his
mystery with an ever new sense of wonder and awakens in us the desire to act as
his children. When we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we are therefore aware of our
being sons of the Father in the Son.
“In brief”
(CCC 2800) Praying to our Father should develop in us the
will to become like him and foster in us a humble and trusting heart.
To deepen and explain
(CCC 2783) Thus the Lord's Prayer reveals us to ourselves at the same time that it reveals the Father
to us (Cf. GS 22 § 1). O man, you did not dare to raise your face to heaven,
you lowered your eyes to the earth, and suddenly you have received the grace of
Christ: all your sins have been forgiven. From being a wicked servant you have
become a good son.... Then raise your eyes to the Father who has begotten you
through Baptism, to the Father who has redeemed you through his Son, and say:
"Our Father...." But do not claim any privilege. He is the Father in
a special way only of Christ, but he is the common Father of us all, because
while he has begotten only Christ, he has created us. Then also say by his
grace, "Our Father," so that you may merit being his son (St. Ambrose
De Sacr. 5, 4, 19: PL 16, 450-451). (CCC 2785) Second, a humble and trusting heart that enables us "to turn and
become like children" (Mt 18:3): for it is to "little children"
that the Father is revealed (Cf. Mt 11:25). [The prayer is accomplished] by the
contemplation of God alone, and by the warmth of love, through which the soul,
molded and directed to love him, speaks very familiarly to God as to its own
Father with special devotion (St. John Cassian, Coll. 9, 18 PL 49, 788C). Our Father: at this name love is aroused
in us… and the confidence of obtaining what we are about to ask.... What would
he not give to his children who ask, since he has already granted them the gift
of being his children? (St. Augustine, De
serm. Dom. in monte 2, 4, 16: PL 34, 1276).
Reflection
(CCC 2784) The free gift of adoption requires on our part
continual conversion and new life.
Praying to our Father should develop in us two fundamental dispositions: First,
the desire to become like him: though
created in his image, we are restored to his likeness by grace; and we must
respond to this grace. We must remember… and know that when we call God
"our Father" we ought to behave as sons of God (St. Cyprian, De Dom. orat. 11: PL 4:526B). You cannot
call the God of all kindness your Father if you preserve a cruel and inhuman
heart; for in this case you no longer have in you the marks of the heavenly
Father's kindness (St. John Chrysostom, De
orat Dom. 3: PG 51, 44). We must contemplate the beauty of the Father
without ceasing and adorn our own souls accordingly (St. Gregory of Nyssa, De orat. Dom. 2: PG 44, 1148B). [END]
No comments:
Post a Comment