We say those words every day. This of course is from the prayer Jesus taught his apostles when they asked him to teach them how to pray. Each word of this prayer spells out what is necessary for our relationship with God and has eternal consequences. It is about love, obedience, mercy and guidance and each word requires our deep reflection and humble submission.
A Path to True Happiness
This article is primarily about the will of God. When we pray that God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven, we are first of all praying that his will be done in our life. Intellectually, those of us who believe in God know that there is no true happiness outside of God’s specific plan for each of us, and yet our human nature continues to seek its own satisfaction in ways that are in opposition to his revelation. As Scripture says, we all sin.
Embracing the Will of God
The first question for each of us is, do I want to enter into the struggle to surrender to the will of God? Do I believe that God’s grace will help me conquer my weaknesses and temptations? Am I willing to develop a disciplined prayer life and frequent the sacraments of the Church?
The only way we can live the will of God is by the means he has given us in his Church as revealed in the Scriptures. There are numerous accounts of the importance prayer, especially the Lord’s prayer. Without prayer there is no hope.
“Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them” (John 20:23).
Overcoming Sin and Temptation
Jesus knows we can’t deal with sin own our own, so he has given us the sacrament of reconciliation which allows us to have a personal encounter with him when we confess our sins to him through his priest and receive his forgiveness through his priest, At the same time Jesus gives us the grace we need to help us overcome temptation. This is why it is important to go to confession at least once a month to help us be aware of the areas we need God’s help, and then receive his help. Without frequent confession, small sins can give way to more serious sins.
Intimate Communion with Christ
Give us this day our daily bread. The Holy Eucharist is our most important sustenance. Jesus said, “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.” Jn 6:54. At the Last Supper Jesus instituted the priesthood and the Holy Eucharist so that we could have intimacy with him. It is not possible on this earth to be closer to Jesus than when we receive him in Holy Communion during Mass. The Holy Mass is primarily about worshiping Almighty God as he commands us. We hear his Word when the Scriptures are proclaimed and continue to worship him during the liturgy of the Eucharist. During Mass the Holy Spirit manifests himself to the community, especially in the prayers and actions of the priest when bread and wine are changed into the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. The prayers of all those present are an essential component of this worship of God. To be absent from this worship on Sundays and Holy Days of obligation is a serious sin and an obstacle to our relationship with God. It must be repaired through sacramental confession.
It is quite clear what we must do for the will of God to be present in our lives. It requires surrender, trust and a confidant faith that that our temporal and eternal happiness rests in the will of God. Even saints struggled with temptation as all humans do. However, they kept their focus on God and used the same means we have available to us to stay the course.
“In God’s will, there is great peace.” – St. Josephine Bakhita
Originally written by Pilgrim Center of Hope for Today's Catholic newspaper.
Deacon Tom Fox, K.C.H.S., and Mary Jane Fox, D.C.H.S. are the Co-Founders & Co-Directors of Pilgrim Center of Hope. The two left their careers after a profound conversion experience and began working full-time in ministry at their parish in 1986. After several years and having impacted tens of thousands of families, the Foxes founded Pilgrim Center of Hope in 1993 as a response to the Church’s call for a New Evangelization. Deacon Tom is an invested member of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, a Commander Knight of the Holy Sepulchre.
Answering Christ’s call, Pilgrim Center of Hope guides people to encounter Him so as to live in hope, as pilgrims in daily life. See what’s happening & let us journey with you! Visit PilgrimCenterOfHope.org.
