This Week's Bulletin Sermon

Series on the Mass, Part 51: Pater Noster, Part 2
February 21, 2021

The Lord’s Prayer begins with the endearing expression of “Father” to inspire confidence and love in those who pray and ask anything of God, for what is sweeter than the name Father for conveying the idea of indulgence and tenderness (Catechism of the Council of Trent). He is our Father for creating us, providing for us and even assigning a guardian angel to watch over us. He is particularly our Father for sending His only begotten Son to redeem us. 

St. Ambrose says “He is Father in a special manner only of Christ and for us He is the common Father, since He only engendered Christ and us He created.” St. Cyprian points out that the new man who is born again through baptism is made a son of God by grace, since he is now a son. This effect of baptism is only possible through our Lord’s sacrifice on the Cross, whereby the sacraments receive their efficacy. 

If we keep these things in mind, there will be duties that flow from them, duties of love, reverence, obedience and respect to Him who has created us and watches over us. We must be careful, however, not to think that God’s watchfulness over us is going to be tied to prosperity and success or that trials and adversities are a sign that He is not well disposed to us. One look at a crucifix should dispel these thoughts since He allowed His only begotten Son to suffer at our hands so we can be redeemed. We too will have to suffer to make reparation for our sins and those of others. God chastises sinners so as to improve them by this lesson and He inflicts temporal punishments to deliver them from eternal torments
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SIncerely in Christ,
Rev. Charles Van Vliet, FSSP
Pastor, Regina Caeli Parish