Cyprian’s Emphasis in his Tract on the Lord’s Prayer

Cyprian’s Emphasis in his Tract on the Lord’s Prayer

In teaching a course on the Lord’s Prayer drawn principally from a tract by St. Cyprian, I have been especially stuck by the significance of the opening words of the prayer. No less, however, I found very helpful Cypian’s counsel that those who are praying give adequate attention to preparation. The prayer is to be “modest” and “decent.” “Let us think that we stand in the presence of God.” The “composure of the body” and the “manner of voice” ought to be pleasing to the divine eyes. “The imprudent person roars with cries.” On the other hand, “It befits modesty to pray with modest prayers.” Finally, “The Lord has commanded us to prayer in secret . . . that we may know that God is present everywhere."

This preparation is not unlike what one might do prior to vigorous physical exercise or attending a play or concert. Some initial planning and transitioning can add immensely to the experience and even enjoyment of a task that requires one’s full attention. Some attention to the body, to the voice, to the quieting of distractions, to an awareness of God’s presence everywhere may help the significance of the words to open themselves more deeply at both a conscious and unconscious level.

After giving Jesus a series of titles, he turns to the body of the prayer. It is worth pausing, however, to think of Jesus as “The Doctor of peace,” “The Teacher of Unity,” “The Teacher of Concord.” These titles and our background knowledge that Cyprian wrote an important treatise entitled “The Unity of The Catholic Church” gives ample evidence of the emphasis he gives to the prayer.

Finally, he quotes the opening line of the prayer, “Our Father who art in heaven.” Immediately he tells us that “A new Human Being” dares to say these words. “A new Human Being, reborn by his own God, restored through his grace, says Pater in the first place because he (she) has begun to be a son (daughter). “From this he ought to begin to give thanks and confess that he (she) is a son (daughter) of God, while he calls God his Father in heaven.” Earlier he remarked that “The God of peace and teacher of concord wants each one to pray for all, just as Jesus carried all in one (himself).”

The emphasis upon our status as sons and daughters of God, that is, our position as persons reconstituted by the forgiveness and grace of Christ, suggest that we pray in union with Christ and share in the intimacy of his prayer to the Father. Again, Cyprian: “We call the Lord Father, so in fact we name ourselves sons (daughters) of God.”

There is, of course, some quite striking spiritual implications to this teaching. While Cyprian commends our being deeply award of “standing in the presence of God,” and so is not commending an excessively casual or complacent approach to prayer, he is presenting for special attention something he believes is completely new, fitted for a “New Human Being.” This person is restored and reconstituted in Christ, drawn up into the life of Christ, and so prays with the freedom of Christ’s own prayer to the Father.

So a New Human Being has a New Prayer. Our Father who art in Heaven.