In the middle of the sermon, Jesus offers his disciples a model prayer. Prayer is a powerful way be which we open ourselves to God. Jesus doesn't admonish or scold his followers, but he gently guides them into the things that move them from saying prayers to genuine praying. Forgiveness is among the areas that Jesus calls us to make a matter of prayer. On the surface nothing seems terribly strange about this request.
Most religions teach people to forgive.
I was recently at a chapel service at Princeton Theological Seminary. The order of worship called for everyone to say together the Lord's Prayer. I felt I should ask for forgiveness. Whatever word we use, however, the remarkable thing is that this petition expects something of us, which is different from the other petitions. When it comes to forgiveness, though, there is an expectation of us as well as God.