The Our Father, also known as The Lord’s Prayer, is found in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. Universally beloved in most traditions of Christianity, its words are those of Jesus Christ himself as he answers his disciples’ queries on how best to pray.

The version presented in the Gospel of Matthew is longer and more detailed than that which is contained in the Gospel of Luke. Both versions instruct the faithful to address God as “Father,” to pray for the coming of His kingdom, to rely on His providence, and to embrace a spirit of forgiveness towards others, in the hope that we ourselves will be forgiven (Matthew 6:9-13, Luke 11:2-4). This last element, forgiveness, is also emphasized by Jesus in the Gospel of Mark (Mark 11:25) as an essential part of all prayer.

The Catechism quotes Tertullian when it calls the Our Father “the summary of the whole Gospel.” (CCC 2761).

©LPi

Our Father, Who art in heaven, 
Hallowed be Thy Name. 
Thy Kingdom come. 
Thy Will be done, 
on earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread. 
And forgive us our trespasses, 
as we forgive those who trespass against us. 
And lead us not into temptation, 
but deliver us from evil. Amen.

‘The Lord’s Prayer ‘is truly the summary of the whole gospel.’ ‘Since the Lord… after handing over the practice of prayer, said elsewhere, ‘Ask and you will receive, ‘ and since everyone has petitions which are peculiar to his circumstances, the regular and appropriate prayer (the Lord’s Prayer) is said first, as the foundation of further desires.’

– Tertullian, De orat. 
from the Catechism of the Catholic Church; 2761.