“do not subject us to the final test”
“We ask not simply to be preserved from evil but to be delivered from it, by the profound purification that the Host will bring.”[i] Jesus Christ, the One who teaches us this prayer, is the one who preserves and delivers us from evil by His own Body and Blood, which we receive in Blessed Sacrament.
Why do we conclude by asking “But deliver us from evil”? “ ‘Evil’ indicates the person of Satan who opposes God and is ‘the deceiver of the whole world’ (Revelation 12:9). Victory over the devil has already been won by Christ. We pray, however, that the human family be freed from Satan and his works. We also ask for the precious gift of peace and the grace of perseverance as we wait for the coming of Christ who will free us definitively form the Evil One.” [ii]
In this world we are not completely free from the evil one once and for all. We know that when we pray the Our Father we are praying to be delivered today, tomorrow, and then ultimately a complete deliverance when we join in the ranks of the Church triumphant in heaven. Until that day comes, we are in constant battle as the Church militant against Satan, the world, and the flesh and thus we must pray daily to be delivered from these evils.
MUSIC – “Never Let Go” by Matt Redman
We still fight on, but we should never loose hope in Jesus. He never let’s go. We should all place our hope and trust in the light of Christ to destroy the darkness. We must remain sober and alert to fight against every attack against our Mother, Jesus bride, the Church.
The compendium states that the “victory over the devil has already been won by Christ” and that we pray for the “human family be freed from Satan and his works”. Where is it that we share in this victory? Where is it that we are elevated from the human family to the family of God? This occurs in the sacrament of baptism and thus baptism and living out our baptism is an answered prayer.
What are our baptismal vows? They are three fold and deliver us in the battle against Satan, the flesh, and the world.
Do you reject Satan? (Delivering us from Satan)
And all his works? (Delivering us from the flesh)
And all his empty promises? (Delivering us from the world)
The Church, in her rite, stresses that faith is not a one-time thing, but rather a constant act in our life. This is why parents and Godparents are told, “On your part, you must make it your constant care to bring him (her) up in the practice of the faith. See that the divine life which God gives him (her) is kept safe from the poison of sin, to grow always stronger in his (her) heart.”[iii]
This lesson may be used as an introduction along with the following Link to Liturgy lessons as preparation for Baptism either for parents, Godparents, and RCIA.
Search: Baptism: To Put on Christ
Search: Baptism of the Lord
Search: Call to Baptism
Search: O Root of Jesse - Temperance & Baptism
What does, “Lead us not into temptation” mean?[iv] We ask God our Father not to leave us alone and in the power of temptation. We ask the Holy Spirit to help us know how to discern, on the one hand, between a trial that makes us grow in goodness and a temptation that leads to sin and death, and on the other hand, between being tempted and consenting to temptation. This petition unites us to Jesus who overcame temptation by his prayer. It requests the grace of vigilance and of final perseverance.
The two fold request made by members of the Church, “deliver us from evil” and “lead us not into temptation” is a testament to our belief that the victory has been won by Jesus Christ the Head of that Body “deliver us from evil”, but that we the members of the Body are daily attaining that victory “lead us not into temptation.”
[i] Roman Catholic Daily Missal (1962); The Pater Noster
[ii] Compendium – Catechism of the Catholic Church - 597
[iii] Rite of Baptism (Roman Rite)
[iv] Compendium – Catechism of the Catholic Church - 596