Why do we say, “Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”? Will God not carry out His will unless we ask Him to do so?

We ask of God that everything we think of, talk about, or practice may be according to His divine will and pleasure. The apostle says, “Now to Him who can do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us” (Eph. 3:20).

St. Cyprian says, “But since we are hindered by the devil from obeying with our thought and deed God’s will in all things, we pray and ask that God’s will may be done in us and that it may be done in us we need God’s goodwill, that is, of His help and protection, since no one is strong in his strength, but he is safe by the grace and mercy of God.”[195 ]

St. Augustine says, “What is this then, ‘Thy will be done’? May it be done in me, that I may not resist Thy will. Therefore here again it is for yourself that you pray, and not for God. For the will of God will be done in you, even if it be not done by you.¹⁹⁶ For both in them to whom He shall say, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, receive the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world’ (Matt. 25:34); shall the will of God be done, that the saints and righteous may receive the kingdom; and in them to whom He shall say, ‘Depart into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels’ (Matt. 25:41), shall the will of God be done, that the wicked may be condemned to everlasting fire. That His will may be done by you is another thing. It is not then without a cause, but that it may be well with you, that you pray that His will may be done in you. But whether it be well or ill with you, it will still be done in you: but O that it may be done by you also.”¹⁹⁷

St. Cyril of Jerusalem says, “God's divine and blessed Angels do the will of God, as David said in the Psalm, ‘Bless the Lord, all you Angels of His, mighty in strength, that do His pleasure’ (Ps. 103:20). So then in effect you mean this by your prayer, as in the Angels Your will is done, so likewise be it done on earth in me, O Lord.”[198 ]

St. John Chrysostom says, “For there is nothing to hinder our reaching the perfection of the powers above, because we inhabit the earth; but it is possible even while abiding here, to

194 Tertullian, On Prayer 5 (ANF 3:683).

195 St. Cyprian of Carthage, Treatise 4: On the Lord’s Prayer 14 (ANF 5:451).

196 Author’s note: St. Augustine distinguishes between the will of God “working in us” on the one hand, and “working by means of us” on the other. It is working in us whether we will or not; but its presence working by means of us he applies only where we ourselves choose to do His will.

197 St. Augustine of Hippo, Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 6.7 (NPNF I/6:276).

198 St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures 23.14 (NPNF II/7:155) amended.

do all, as though already placed on high. What He says therefore is this: ‘vouchsafe that we men may not do Your will by halves, but perform all things as You will.’”¹⁹⁹