Our Father

Part 4
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Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread

It often happens that men of great knowledge and wisdom become timid, and, therefore, fortitude of heart is necessary, lest we lose courage in difficult situations. As the Prophet says, the Lord "gives strength to the fainting; for the weak he makes vigor abound." The Holy Ghost gives this fortitude: the Spirit entered into me, and set me on my feet." (Ez 2.2) The Holy Ghost gives fortitude that the heart of man not be afraid of lacking necessary things, but instead firmly believe that God will give all things that are necessary to us. And therefore, the Holy Ghost, who gives this fortitude, teaches us to ask of God: "Give us this day our daily bread." Therefore He is called the Spirit of Fortitude.

The three preceding petitions of the Our Father ask for spiritual things which we begin to possess in this world, but are not perfected save in eternal life. For when we pray that the name of God be "hallowed," we are asking that the holiness of God be made known. When we pray that God's Kingdom come, we are asking to be made partakers of eternal life; and when we pray that God's will be done, we are asking that His will be fulfilled in us. Although all these things have their beginning in this world, they cannot be perfectly fulfilled except in eternal life. This is why the Holy Ghost taught us to pray for things necessary to the present life, of which we can have perfect possession here below; and this teaches us that even temporal things are provided for us by God. For this reason we say: Give us this day our daily bread.

These same words teach us to avoid five sins which usually result from the desire for the goods of this world.

The first of these sins is when a man has an inordinate appetite for these things and, not content with the things he ought to have, asks for things that are above his condition in life; for example, if a simple soldier wished to dress like an officer, or a cleric wished to be dressed as a bishop. This vice causes men to turn away from spiritual things, since their desire is fixed on the things of this world.

Now the Lord taught us to avoid this vice when He taught us to ask only for bread; that is, things that are necessary for the present life according to each one's condition, which are all represented by bread. Therefore, He did not teach us to ask for delicacies, or many diverse or fancy things, but bread, without which man cannot live, for it is a nourishment common to all. "Life's prime needs are water and bread" (Eccl. 29.28) St. Paul also wrote: "Having food and sufficient clothing, with these let us be content." (I Tim. 6.8)

The second vice is that some commit injustices and defraud others in the acquisition of worldly goods. This vice is all the more dangerous because it is difficult to make restitution for stolen goods, for, according to St. Augustine, the sin is not forgiven without the will to return what was taken. The Lord has taught us to avoid this vice, teaching us to ask for our bread, not someone else's. For thieves do not eat their own bread but someone else's.

The third vice is an exaggerated concern for worldly goods. There are some who are never content with what they have, but always want more, which is immoderate, for our desires should be moderated according to our needs. "Give me neither poverty nor riches; provide me only with the food I need." (Prov. 30.8) We are taught to avoid this vice when we say: "Our daily bread;" that is, enough bread for one day or one period of time.

The fourth vice is a kind of voracity which comes from an immoderate appetite. There are some who would like to consume in a single day what would suffice for several days, and such people do not ask for enough bread for one day, but for ten; and because they spend altogether too much, they squander all their goods: "For the drunkard and the glutton come to poverty." (Prov. 23.21)

The fifth vice that comes from an excessive desire for worldly goods is ingratitude. When someone becomes proud because of his riches and does not remember that everything he has is from God, it is reprehensible, for all good things that we have, whether spiritual or temporal, are from God. "All things are Thine that we have received from Thy Hand." (I Chr 29.14) To avoid this vice, therefore, the Lord teaches us to say: "Give us," and "our bread" that we may realize that everything we have is from God.

Now it sometimes happens that a person has many riches, but gets no advantage from them, and instead actually becomes worse off for it both spiritually and temporally, for some have perished on account of their riches.

There is another evil which I have seen under the sun, and it weighs heavily upon man: there is the man to whom God gives riches and property and honor, so that he lacks none of all the things he craves; yet God does not grant him power to partake of them, but a stranger devours them. (Eccl. 6.1-2)

We must therefore ask that our riches actually be profitable to us. We ask for this when we say: "Give us our bread"; that is, make our riches profitable to us.

There are two kinds of bread: the sacramental bread and the bread of God's Word. We ask therefore for our sacramental bread, which is prepared every day in the Church, that as we receive it in the Sacrament it may be given to us for our salvation. I am the living bread that has come down from heaven. (Jn. 6.51) He who eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks judgment to himself. (I Cor. 11.29)

Likewise, there is also the bread of the Word of God: Not by bread alone does man live, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God. (Mt. 4.4) We ask God, therefore, that He give us bread; that is, His own Word. The word of God comes bringing beatitude to man, which consists in a hunger for justice. For when we have spiritual things, we desire them more, and from this desire proceeds hunger for justice, and this hunger shall be satisfied with eternal life.

And Forgive Us Our Trespasses, as We Forgive Those Who Trespass Against Us

There are some who have great wisdom and fortitude and yet, because they trust too much in their own power, do not act wisely, nor do they bring to completion the works they had intended. It is said that "Plans made with advice succeed." (Prov. 20.18) But the same Holy Ghost who gives fortitude also gives the gift of counsel, for every good counsel that conduces to the salvation of men comes from the Holy Ghost. Man is in need of counsel when he is in tribulation. Since therefore man becomes spiritually sick through sin, he must seek counsel so that he may be healed.

That sinners are in need of counsel is shown by Daniel 4.24 which says: "O King, take my advice, atone for your sins by alms." The best counsel that can be given against sins is almsgiving and mercy; and therefore the Holy Ghost teaches us sinners to pray and ask: "Forgive us our trespasses."

We owe something to God when we have taken something that was His by right. God's right is that we do His Will, preferring it to our will, and this is what sin goes against. Our trespasses therefore are our sins. The Holy Ghost has given us the counsel that we ask of God pardon of our sins, and therefore we say: "Forgive us our sins."

There are three things we can consider in these words: the first is why we make this petition, the second is when it is fulfilled, and the third is what is required on our part that it be fulfilled.

As regards the question: why do we make this petition? There are two things we can learn from this petition, which are necessary to men in this life. One is that a man ought always to be in fear and humility. For there were some who were so presumptuous that they said that man could live in this world so as to avoid sin by his own power. But this privilege was given to nobody except Christ, who possessed the plenitude of the Spirit, and the Blessed Virgin, in whom there was no sin, as St. Augustine says: "I do not wish there to be the least mention of her when we speak of sin." But to no other saint was the privilege granted of being free from all sin, at least some slight fault, for if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (I Jn. 1.8) (Note: It is legitimate to hold the same privilege for St. Joseph, because of his most intimate connection with Christ and the Blessed Virgin.)

This petition shows that men are sinners. It is clear that it belongs to all the saints themselves to say: "Our Father," in which we say: "Forgive us our trespasses." Therefore, all men are to recognize that they are sinners or trespassers. If you are a sinner, you must have fear and humble yourself.

Another thing we learn from this petition is that we must always live in hope, for although we are sinners, we must not despair, lest desperation lead us to other greater sins, as the Apostle says: "For they have given themselves up in despair to sensuality, greedily practising every kind of uncleanness." (Eph. 4.19) It is therefore very useful that we always have hope; for however great a sinner a man be, he must hope that if he have contrition and be converted, God will forgive him. This hope is confirmed in us when we ask: "Forgive us our sins."

Early heretics called Novatians took away this hope, saying that those who sinned but once after baptism would never obtain mercy. But this is not true, if the word of Christ is true, when He says: "I forgave thee all the debt because thou didst entreat Me." (Mt. 18.32) In whatever day you shall ask, you shall be able to obtain mercy, if you ask with repentance for sin. This petition, "forgive us our debts (trespasses)" causes us to have both fear and hope, for all sinners that are sorry for their sin and confess it, obtain mercy.

In sin there are two things to consider: the transgression by which God is offended, and the penalty due to sin. The transgression is remitted in contrition, which includes the resolve to confess it and make satisfaction for it: "I said, I confess my faults to the Lord, and you took away the guilt of my sin." No one should despair, since contrition together with the resolution to make a confession is sufficient for the remission of the sin. (Note: By divine law only mortal sins committed after baptism must be confessed to the priest. The Church encourages the confession of venial sins if we are truly resolved to avoid in the future the venial sins we confess.)

One might perhaps object: If sin is remitted through contrition, why is the priest necessary? The answer is that through contrition God remits the transgression and commutes the eternal punishment due to mortal sin to a temporal punishment, to which the sinner remains bound. Hence, if he were to die before confession, not because he despised the sacrament but because death took him by surprise, he would go to purgatory, where the punishment, as St. Augustine says, is extremely severe. Therefore when you confess, the priest absolves you from this punishment by virtue of the power of the keys, to which you submit yourself in confession; and therefore Christ told the Apostles, "Receive the Holy Spirit; whose sins you shall forgive they are forgiven them; whose sins you shall retain, they are retained." (Jn. 20.22-23) Therefore, when somebody confesses his sins once, part of this temporal punishment is remitted, and likewise when he confesses the same sins again; and if he confesses the sins a certain number of times he can obtain the full remission of this punishment.

The successors of the Apostles found another way to remit this punishment; namely, the benefits of indulgences. For those who have charity in their souls, indulgences may be applied to them to the extent that the Church concedes them. It is clear that the Pope can do this, for many saints did many good works and these did not sin, at least mortally, and they did these good works for the utility of the Church. Likewise, the merits of Christ and the Blessed Virgin are in the Church's treasury. Hence the supreme Pontiff and those to whom he gives this power can dispense these merits, where it is necessary. (Note: indulgences mean that the merits of Christ are applied to our souls simply for the remission of the temporal punishment due to our sin, which we would otherwise suffer for in Purgatory. Of course, this necessarily presupposes that we already have true sorrow for the sin and have been forgiven by God. In this way, not only is the guilt of our transgression remitted by contrition, but the punishment due to sin is remitted by confession, and then by indulgences.)

On our part we must forgive our neighbor for whatever offences he has committed against us. Hence we say: as we forgive those who trespass against us, otherwise God would not forgive us. "Should a man nourish anger against his fellows and expect healing from the Lord?" If therefore we do not forgive, neither shall we be forgiven.

One might say, I will say the part which says "Forgive us," but not the following, which says, "as we forgive those who trespass against us." Do you therefore seek to deceive Christ? Assuredly you do not deceive Him. For the same Christ who instituted this prayer remembers it quite well; he cannot be deceived. If therefore you say it with your mouth, fulfill it with your heart.

One might ask, further, if someone who does not intend to forgive his neighbor should say, "as we forgive those who trespass against us." It might seem that he should not because such a one is a liar. We would answer, however, that he does not lie, because he does not pray in his own person, but in the name of the Church, which is not deceived; therefore, this petition is put in the plural.

There are two ways we can forgive our neighbor. The way of the perfect is that the one offended actually seek out his neighbor to pardon him. "Seek after peace." (Ps. 33.15) The more common way, to which we are all bound, is that we forgive those who ask for it. "Forgive your neighbor's injustice, then when you pray, your own sins will be forgiven." (Eccl. 28.2)

All this corresponds to another beatitude: Blessed are the merciful, for it is mercy that makes us take pity on our neighbor.