Jesus was very deliberate in using the words, "Our Father who art in Heaven," teaching us that we need to pray as part of a communion.
Have you ever wondered why we pray the "Our Father" and not the "My Father"? Jesus could have easily taught us a different prayer, phrasing it in such a way as to promote personal devotional prayer.
Yet, he didn't, and that choice of words was noticed by St. Cyprian of Carthage.
Why we pray the "Our Father"
St. Cyprian points this out in a Treatise on the Our Father that is featured in the Church's Office of Readings.
He explains how the choice of words was designed to make us think of other people:
Above all, he who preaches peace and unity did not want us to pray by ourselves alone. We do not say "My Father, who are in heaven," nor "Give me this day my daily bread." It is not for himself alone that each person asks to be forgiven, not to be led into temptation or to be delivered from evil. Rather, we pray in public as a community, and not for one individual but for all. For the people of God are all one.
This is an important lesson, as we can have a tendency to be selfish and look inward. Jesus wants us to look outward and to seek peace and harmony with our community.
St. Cyprian further expands on this concept:
God is then the teacher of harmony, peace and unity, and desires each of us to pray for all men, even as he bore all men in himself alone. The three young men shut up in the furnace of fire observed this rule of prayer. United in the bond of the Spirit they uttered together the same prayer. The witness of holy Scripture describes this incident for us, so that we might imitate them in our prayer. Then all three began to sing in unison, blessing God. Even though Christ had not yet taught them to pray, nevertheless, they spoke as with one voice.
As humans, we are meant to be united with one another and to think about other people. God does not want his children to live isolated lives, but to be a united family. This may be difficult for us, especially when we seek all the division in the world.
Yet, if we truly want peace on earth, we need to pray the "Our Father" and not the "My Father."
With Pope Leo's motto focusing on communion and unity, we will surely have many opportunities to remember this during his pontificate.
