Jesus’ prayers reveal his unique relationship with the Father

The mystery of Jesus’ prayer

Monday, August 17, 2026

*Fr. Eduardo Barrios, SJ

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The prayer of Jesus is itself a mystery, because he exists as the mystery of two natures, divine and human, united in one divine person, that of the Son.

The incarnate Son, Jesus, had no equal in this world. No one could fully understand him. That is why he frequently sought refuge in communion with his heavenly Father. At times, he even sacrificed hours of sleep to pray. As St. Luke recounts, before choosing his twelve apostles, Jesus “went out to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God” (6:12).

He illustrated the uniqueness of his relationship with the Father with these words: “No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son” (Lk 10:22).

All three synoptic Gospels recount that on the night of Holy Thursday, Jesus left the Upper Room and went with his disciples toward the Mount of Olives. But only St. Luke adds the words “as was his custom” (22:39).

Jesus did not pray sporadically; prayer was his custom. There, in Gethsemane, he prayed: “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will” (Mt 26:39). He said “My Father,” not “Our Father.”

Much earlier, when Jesus had made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem at the age of 12, he remained behind in the Temple on his own. To the astonished Mary and Joseph, he offered this explanation: “Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” (Lk 2:49). He did not say “our Father,” but “my Father.”

This distinction is important because some believe that Jesus taught his disciples the Our Father as a prayer that he himself prayed. That is not the case. Jesus taught that sublime prayer when his disciples made this request: “Lord, teach us to pray just as John [the Baptist] taught his disciples” (Lk 11:1). They did not ask him to teach them to pray as he himself prayed.

It should be made clear that the Our Father is not a prayer that Jesus recited, but rather a prayer for his disciples. Moreover, that prayer contains a penitential petition that would not apply to him, since he was without sin.

In biblical times, people read aloud. That is why St. Philip the deacon heard an Ethiopian reading a passage from Isaiah (cf. Acts 8:29-39).

Jesus himself also read aloud from Isaiah in the synagogue at Nazareth (Lk 4:14-21).

Believers also prayed aloud. We recall that when Hannah, the mother of Samuel, prayed silently, moving her lips without making a sound, the priest Eli thought she was drunk (cf. 1 Sm 1:12-16).

As for Jesus, he too was heard praying aloud. On one occasion, filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, he burst into thanksgiving to the Father: “I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned, you have revealed them to the childlike” (Lk 10:21).

When Jesus arrived in Bethany, he prayed before the tomb of Lazarus with these words: “Father, I thank you for hearing me. I know that you always hear me…” (Jn 11:41-42).

Jesus’ longest prayer spoken in the presence of others is known as the priestly prayer, found in Chapter 17 of the Gospel of John: “Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said, ‘Father, the hour has come. Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you…’”

As Jesus agonized on the cross, he uttered brief prayers. His final prayer was: “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” (Lk 23:46).

He was never heard saying, “Our Father.”