“Thy Kingdom Come”
This is a petition of faith, in hopes that God’s kingdom will come at the end of time. It is the cry of every believer, because we want to be in God’s kingdom, where He rules over everything. It manifests the longing of the Church and of everyone. It revolves around true freedom which can only be found in Heaven.
This petition is linked to the Beatitudes and the gifts of the Holy Spirt in the desire for God’s Kingdom. We have been given a glimpse of what the Kingdom of God is like in Matthew’s Gospel (13:1-48), and through the lives of the Saints. Through their holy lives and their witness to the Gospel, the saints show us the path by which we can attain admittance into God’s Kingdom. This petition also opposes the deadly sin of pride, because only the meek and humble are able to enter the kingdom.
So, when we pray this petition let us focus on how we are living our lives and ask ourselves the question “am I living my life here on Earth in a way that I may enjoy everlasting life in Heaven?” So many times, we forget that we are called to life everlasting with God. Praying the Our Father, especially at this petition, helps us to remember that our end goal in this life is to be with God for all eternity. |
