The Lord's Prayer
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.
Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love,
Where there is injury, pardon
Where there is doubt, faith,
Where there is despair, hope,
Where there is darkness, light,
Where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much
seek to be consoled as to console,
not so much to be understood as to understand,
not so much to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
it is in dying that we awake to eternal life.
What idea do you have of how a Father should be?
What kind of Father do we have in God?
What is heaven for you?
What is the significance of having a name?
What is YHWH?
Where is God’s Kingdom?
Why should we submit to God’s Will?
What are your basic needs on earth?
How did Jesus forgive?
How do we sin against others?
What is forgiveness?
What are our weaknesses?
How are we tempted?
What evil is there around us?
What does ‘Amen’ mean?
What are our duties and privileges in God’s Kingdom?
What are the basic needs of some others?
What kind of forgiveness do we practice?
How do we talk to God?
Write down together a more personalized and modern version of the Our Father starting: “Hey Dad…..”
Discuss:
What feelings, thoughts, images or symbols came to you during the above exercise?
How have you experienced God’s Divine Love in your life?
In what instances can you recognize God’s will in your life?
A modern ‘Our Father’.
Hey Dad, you’ve got a good mood.
I really respect you.
I like being with you.
I promise to obey you always.
Please give me what I need.
Forgive me like I did
my brothers and sisters.
Please do not test me,
But protect me.
Right?
Paraphrase of the Lord's Prayer (attributed to St. Francis of Assisi)
OUR FATHER most holy, our Creator and Redeemer, our Saviour and our Comforter.
WHO ART IN HEAVEN in the angels and the saints, giving them light to know you, since you, Lord, are light; setting them afire to love you, since you, Lord, are love; dwelling in them and giving them fullness of joy, since you, Lord, are the supreme, eternal good, and all good comes from you.
HALLOWED BE THY NAME, may we grow to know you better and better and so appreciate the extent of your favors, the scope of your promises, the sublimity of your majesty, and the profundity of your judgments.
THY KINGDOM COME, so that you may reign in us by your grace, and bring us to your kingdom, where we shall see you clearly, love you perfectly and, happy in your company, enjoy you forever.
THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN, so that we may love you with all our heart, by always having you in mind; with all our soul, by always longing for you; with all our mind, by determining to seek your glory in everything; and with all our strength, of body and soul, by lovingly serving you alone. May we love our neighbors as ourselves, and encourage them all to love you, by bearing our share in the joys and sorrows of others, while giving offence to no one.
GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD, your beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, so that we may remember and appreciate how much He loved us, and everything he said and did and suffered.
AND FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES, in your immeasurable mercy, by virtue of the passion of your Son, and through the intercession of Mary, and all your saints.
AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US, and if we do not forgive perfectly, Lord, make us forgive perfectly, so that, for love of you, we may really forgive our enemies, and fervently pray to you for them, returning no one evil for evil, but trying to serve you in everyone.
AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION, be it hidden or obvious, sudden or persistent.
BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL, past, present or future, AMEN.