The prayer “Our Father.”

This prayer in no way excludes other prayers — the Lord Himself utilised other prayers (John 17). In calling God our Father, we acknowledge ourselves as His children, and in relation to one another — as brothers, and we pray not only from ourselves and for ourselves, but also from everybody, from all humanity. In uttering the words “As it is in Heaven,” we separate ourselves from everything earthly and ascend with mind and heart into a celestial world. “Hallowed be Your name” means: Let Your Name be holy to all people, let all people glorify Your Name in word and deed. “Thy Kingdom come” — ie. let the Kingdom of Messiah Christ, about which the Jews were hoping incorrectly, realise this true Kingdom; here we also pray so that the Lord becomes enthroned in the souls of all people, and after this temporary earthly life, make us worthy of eternal and blessed life, in communion with Him. “Your will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven” — let everything occur according to the all-good and all-wise will of God, and let us humans on earth render His will just as willingly as the Angels in Heaven. “Give us this day our daily bread” — means, give us all that is essential to our body for today; what will happen with us tomorrow, we don’t know as we are in need “this day” — ie. daily, essential needs to support our existence. “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors"”- Saint Luke in his Gospel (11:4) clarifies these words thus: “And forgive us our sins.” Sins are our debts, because in not fulfilling what is required of us, we become indebted to God and people. Under debts, it should also be understood to mean all those good works we may have done, but didn’t — because of laziness or egotism. Thus, the understanding of the word debts is wider than just sin — direct violations of moral laws. Entreaty for the forgiveness of debts, instils into us with an especial potency, the necessity to forgive all offences committed against us by our neighbour — inasmuch as in not forgiving others, we have no right to ask God to forgive our debts due to Him. Consequently, we have no right to utter the Lord’s Prayer.

“And do not lead us into temptation” — here we are asking God that if it is unavoidable and necessary that our moral powers be tested, that He protect us from falling. “But deliver us from the evil one” — from every type of evil and its originator — the devil. The Prayer ends with a conviction that what has been requested, will be fulfilled, because everything in this world belongs to God: eternal Kingdom, unending might and glory. The translated Jewish word “amen” means “Thus, indeed, truly, be it.” It was voiced by the praying faithful at synagogues — in confirmation of prayers, uttered by the elders.

The Lord’s teachings on fasting — which also has to be observed for God and not for public acclaim —clearly gives witness on how wrong are those that say the Lord didn’t prescribe fasting to His followers. In fasting, one shouldn’t change his outward appearance, so as not to attract attention to himself, but appear before people as he always does: it was common practice in the East that after a bath the body was rubbed with oil, especially the head; however, during fasts, the Pharisees did not wash and did not comb or oil their hair. This attracted a general attention to their unusual appearances, which is what the Lord censured them for.