Meaning of a line from the Lord's Prayer

[Ballyadams]

Would you please explain the meaning of the following from the Lord’s Prayer: “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”

 

[compactdiss]

Ballyadams:

Would you please explain the meaning of the following from the Lord’s Prayer: “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”

Good post. I would like to see an interpretation of the entire prayer. I have my own thoughts but…

 

[Timidity]

Ballyadams:

Would you please explain the meaning of the following from the Lord’s Prayer: “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”

It’s actually two lines:

“Thy kingdom come” is a prayer for the Kingdom of God to come into existance upon Earth.

“Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven”: God’s will is done in Heaven…this is a prayer that His will should also prevail on Earth. It is also submission to His Divine Will.

 

[Brain]

i think there might be an “until” implied at the beginning. then it makes sense:
**until **heaven and earth are no more, may god’s will be done as fully by men as the heavenly angels do in heaven.

 

[Lisa_N]

Do God’s will on earth ‘as it is in heaven’ help bring the Kingdom of God to earth while we are on earth. That is our duty. I have to say I repeated this prayer for years without understanding it. I had to have the line explained to me. It makes sense though and certainly applies to living our Catholic faith here and now

LIsa N

 

[surfinpure]

Timidity:

It’s actually two lines:

“Thy kingdom come” is a prayer for the Kingdom of God to come into existance upon Earth.

“Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven”: God’s will is done in Heaven…this is a prayer that His will should also prevail on Earth. It is also submission to His Divine Will.

I agree with Timidity’s interpretation. That’s exactly what I would have said.

 

[Steven_Merten]

Ballyadams:

Would you please explain the meaning of the following from the Lord’s Prayer: “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”

Hello Ballyadams,

In Jesus parables He teaches us that the Kingdom of God comes forth from within our hearts. It is our love for God, through obedience to God, which produces the fruit of the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is love for God which is constructed on earth through human free from the will of God obedience to the will of God. God’s Kingdom comes from our love through obedience on earth.

Please visit Parables Painting Pictures of Paradise

NIV LUK 17:20

Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, Here it is, or There it is, because the kingdom of God is within you.NAB MAT 13:18

“Hear then the parable of the sower. The seed sown on the path is the one who hears the word of the kingdom without understanding it, and the evil one comes and steals away what was sown in his heart. The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the word and receives it at once with joy. But he has no root and lasts only for a time. When some tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, he immediately falls away. The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word, but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the word and it bears no fruit.** But the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.”**Wisdom 6 talks about obeying God on earth leading us up to a kingdom. If you love and obey God on earth, as closely as you can to how they obey God in heaven, this will lead you to His kingdom. In other words, if you love and obey God, His Kingdom will come to you.

NAB MAT 6:9

“’**…your kingdom come, your will be done on earth **as it is in heaven.’”

NAB WIS 6:17 For the first step toward discipline is a very earnest desire for her; then, care for discipline is love of her; love means the keeping of her laws; To observe her laws is the basis for incorruptibility; and incorruptibility makes one close to God; thus the desire for Wisdom leads up to a kingdom.

Peace in Christ,
Steven Merten
www.ILOVEYOUGOD.com

 

[Timidity]

Steven Merten:

In Jesus parables He teaches us that the Kingdom of God comes forth from within our hearts. It is our love for God, through obedience to God, which produces the fruit of the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is love for God which is constructed on earth through human free from the will of God obedience to the will of God. God’s Kingdom comes from our love through obedience on earth.

Wow. Sounds nice, but the teaching of the Church is that “thy kingdom come” refers primarily to the final coming of the reign of God through Christ’s return.

 

[judicame]

Saint Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church, on the Lord’s Prayer

THE SECOND PETITION: “Thy Kingdom Come.”

The Holy Spirit makes us love, desire and pray rightly; and instills in us, first of all, a fear whereby we ask that the name of God be sanctified. He gives us another gift, that of piety. This is a devout and loving affection for our Father and for all men who are in trouble. Now, since God is our Father, we ought not only reverence and fear Him, but also have towards Him a sweet and pious affection. This love makes us pray that the kingdom of God may come: “We should live soberly and justly in this world, looking for the blessed hope and coming of the glory of the great God.”[1]

It may be asked of us: “Why, since the kingdom of God always was, do we then ask that it may come?” This, however, can be understood in three ways. First, a king sometimes has only the right to a kingdom or dominion, and yet his rule has not been declared because the men in his kingdom are not as yet subject to him. His rule or dominion will come only when the men of his kingdom are his subjects. Now, God is by His very essence and nature the Lord of all things; and Christ being God and Man is the Lord over all things: “And He gave Him power and glory and a kingdom.”[2] It is, therefore, necessary that all things be subject to Him. This is not yet the case, but will be so at the end of the world: “For He must reign, until He hath put all His enemies under His feet.”[3] Hence it is for this we pray when we say: “Thy kingdom come.”

WHY WE PRAY THUS

In so doing we pray for a threefold purpose: that the just may be strengthened, that sinners may be punished, and that death be destroyed. Now, the reason is that men are subject to Christ in two ways, either willingly or unwillingly. Again, the will of God is so efficacious that it must be fully complied with; and God does wish that all things be subject to Christ. Hence, two things are necessary: either man will do the will of God by subjecting himself to His commands, as do the just; or God shall exert His will and punish those who are sinners and His enemies; and this will take place at the end of the world: “Until I make Thy enemies Thy footstool.”[4]

It is enjoined upon the faithful to pray that the kingdom of God may come, namely, that they subject themselves completely to Him. But it is a terrible thing for sinners, because for them to ask the coming of God’s kingdom is nothing else than to ask that they be subjected to punishment: “Woe to them that desire the day of the Lord!”[5] By this prayer, too, we ask that death be destroyed. Since Christ is life, death cannot exist in His kingdom,[6] because death is the opposite of life: “And the enemy, death, shall be destroyed last.”[7] “He shall cast death down headlong forever.”[8] And this shall take place at the last resurrection: “Who will reform the body of our lowness, made like to the body of His glory.”[9]

In a second sense, the kingdom of heaven signifies the glory of paradise. Nor is this to be wondered at, for a kingdom (“regnum”) is nothing other than a government (“regimen”). That will be the best government where nothing is found contrary to the will of the governor. Now, the will of God is the very salvation of men, for He “will have all men to be saved”;[10] and this especially shall come to pass in paradise where there will be nothing contrary to man’s salvation. “They shall gather out of His kingdom all scandals.”[11] In this world, however, there are many things contrary to the salvation of men. Hence, when we pray, “Thy kingdom come,” we pray that we might participate in the heavenly kingdom and in the glory of paradise.

WHY WE DESIRE THIS KINGDOM

This kingdom is greatly to be desired for three reasons…[more]

ewtn.com/library/SOURCES/TA-CAT-4.TXT

Alternatively, as a student, Pope Benedict XVI allegedly was not too keen a Thomist…

“By contrast, I had difficulties in penetrating the thought of Thomas Aquinas, whose crystal-clear logic seemed to be too closed in on itself, too impersonal and ready-made” (op. cit., p.44).
sspxasia.com/Documents/SiSiNoNo/1999_March/The_Memories_of_a_Destructive_Mind.htm