3 COMMON MISTAKES CATHOLICS MAKE WHEN THEY PRAY THE OUR FATHER…

1. Not understanding the meaning of the words. The Our Father is a rich prayer with a lot of theological depth. If we don’t understand what we’re saying, we’re not really praying. It’s important to take the time to study the meaning of the words and phrases in the prayer.
2. Not praying with intention. The Our Father is a prayer of petition, but it’s also a prayer of surrender. We’re asking God for what we need, but we’re also submitting ourselves to His will. If we’re not praying with intention, we’re not really praying the Our Father.
3. Not praying with faith. The Our Father is a prayer of faith. We’re asking God for things that we believe He can and will do. If we don’t have faith, our prayers will be ineffective.

Orans posture

The orans posture is a traditional Catholic posture for praying. It involves standing with your arms outstretched, palms up, in a gesture of supplication. While there is no explicit mention of the orans posture in the Bible, it has been used by Christians for centuries.

Some Catholics make the mistake of thinking that the orans posture is mandatory for praying the Our Father. This is not the case. The orans posture is a helpful way to focus your mind and heart on prayer, but it is not essential. You can pray the Our Father in any posture that feels comfortable to you.

In fact, As for the rubrics at the time of the Lord’s Prayer, there is no instruction given to the congregation to hold hands or to lift them at that time.  It’s not that it is a bad idea, it’s just that it’s not in the rubrics.  Therefore, it seems best to refrain from this act if it is a distraction or imposition on others.  For example, to grab a stranger’s hand next to you during the Lord’s Prayer might be well-intentioned, but is not part of the Mass rubrics, so it should be avoided.

Here are some additional tips for praying the Our Father effectively:

• Pray slowly and deliberately. Take your time to say each word and phrase with meaning.
• Pray with a humble heart. Approach God with a sense of your own neediness and dependence on Him.
• Pray with a spirit of thanksgiving. Be grateful for all the blessings that God has given you.
• Pray with a spirit of surrender. Be willing to submit to God’s will, even if it’s not what you want.

Here are some additional mistakes that Catholics sometimes make when praying the Our Father:

• Adding or subtracting words or phrases. The Our Father is a very specific prayer, and it’s important to pray it as it is written in the Bible.
• Not praying the prayer in its entirety. The Our Father is a short prayer, but it’s important to pray the whole thing.
• Not focusing on the meaning of the words. It’s easy to just recite the Our Father by rote, but it’s important to focus on the meaning of the words and phrases.
• Not praying with sincerity. Prayer is a conversation with God, so it’s important to pray with sincerity and conviction.