"If you wish to learn and appreciate something worth while, then love to be unknown and considered as nothing. Truly to know and despise self is the best and most perfect counsel."

Thomas á Kempis

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"Shun too great a desire for knowledge, for in it there is much fretting and delusion. Intellectuals like to appear learned and to be called wise. Yet there are many things the knowledge of which does little or no good to the soul, and he who concerns himself about other things than those which lead to salvation is very unwise. "

Thomas á Kempis

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"Try to turn your heart from the love of things visible and bring yourself to things invisible. For they who follow their own evil passions stain their consciences and lose the grace of God. "

Thomas á Kempis

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About this "Penny" Catechism - Visit the more detailed "Catechism of the Catholic Church" here.

 
 

FROM THE "PENNY CATECHISM"
     

Commentary on the 'Our Father'
144.

Which is the best of all prayers?
 

The best of all prayers is the 'Our Father', or the Lord's Prayer.
 
145. Who made the Lord's Prayer?

 

Jesus Christ himself made the Lord's Prayer.
 
  146. Say the Lord's Prayer.
 
 

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
Amen.
 
  147. In the Lord's Prayer who is called 'our Father'?
 
 

'In the Lord's Prayer God is called 'our Father'.
 
148. Why is God called 'our Father'?
 

God is called 'our Father' because he is the Father of all Christians, whom he has made his children by Holy Baptism.
 
149. Is God also the Father of all mankind?
 

God is also the Father of all mankind because he made them all, and loves and preserves them all.
 
150. Why do we say, 'our' Father, and not 'my' Father?
 

We say 'our' Father, and not 'my' Father, because, being all brethren, we are to pray not for ourselves only, but also for all others.
 
151. When we say, 'hallowed be thy name', what do we pray for?
 

When we say 'hallowed be thy name' we pray that God may be known, loved, and served by all his creatures.
 
152. When we say, 'thy kingdom come', what do we pray for?
 

When we say, 'thy kingdom come', we pray that God may come and reign in the hearts of all by His grace in this world, and bring us all hereafter to his heavenly kingdom.
 
153. When we say, 'thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven', what do we pray for?
 

When we say, 'thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven', we pray that God may enable us, by his grace, to do his will in all things, as the Blessed do in heaven.
 
154. When we say, 'give us this day our daily bread', what do we pray for?
 

When we say, 'give us this day our daily bread', we pray that God may give us daily all that is necessary for soul and body.
 
155. When we say, forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us', what do we pray for?
 

When we say, 'forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us', we pray that God may forgive us our sins, as we forgive others the injuries they do to us.
 
156. When we say, 'lead us not into temptation', what do we pray for?
 

When we say 'lead us not into temptation', we pray that God may give us grace not to yield to temptation.
 
157. When we say, 'deliver us from evil', what do we pray for?
 

When we say, 'deliver us from evil', we pray that God may free us from all evil, both of soul and body.
 
158. Should we ask the Angels and Saints to pray for us?
 

We should ask the Angels and Saints to pray for us, because they are our friends and brethren, and because their prayers have great power with God.
 
 
159. How can we show that the Angels and Saints know what passes on earth?
 

We can show that the Angels and Saints know what passes on earth from the words of Christ: 'There shall be joy before the Angels of God upon one sinner doing penance. Luke 15:10