The Lord's Prayer
Over the past twenty some odd years since I was called to "Learn to love them all," I have learned to love was the Bible and in it the Lord's Prayer. In my daily meditations I frequently use the Lord's Prayer. I recite it slowly for my twenty minutes; in doing this, and praying the breviary daily as well as contemplating scripture and many other kinds of spiritual material, I have come to recognize this particular prayer as being singularly important and uniting. In recent years, I have made it my own by changing the words while leaving the intent of the prayer the same. In doing this I have truly made this prayer mine and it has deepened my experience of God, Mary, Christ, and the Spirit. I think that this idea is very much in line with Pope Francis' statement that, "…in every age in history, humans try to understand and express themselves better. So human beings in time change the way they perceive themselves." As my Christian journey began with God's suggestion that I learn to love them all I have, as you will see below expressed the intent and meaning of the Lord's Prayer in terms of love, the Love that christ came to give us all.
The Lord's Prayer
Abba, Holy is your name,
for your love is everywhere in everything.
Give me this day, dear Abba, only what I need
to become part of your love.
Forgive me when I fail to love,
only as I can forgive other who fail to love.
Keep me from following the temptations of my dark star.
Keep me from sharing the evil that is in me.
For all of the love, the power and the glory
that was, is, and always will be,
is yours dear Abba.
Another way of expressing this can also be found in the following adapted Glory be.
All Glory be to you Abba;
and to Mary, Mother of us all;
and to Jesus who is my brother and Messiah;
and to our shared spirit of life and love.
As you were before the beginning,
you are now,
and will be forever,
Love without end.
Douglas Krefting, CiM
The Lord's Prayer
Abba, Holy is your name,
for your love is everywhere in everything.
Give me this day, dear Abba, only what I need
to become part of your love.
Forgive me when I fail to love,
only as I can forgive other who fail to love.
Keep me from following the temptations of my dark star.
Keep me from sharing the evil that is in me.
For all of the love, the power and the glory
that was, is, and always will be,
is yours dear Abba.
Another way of expressing this can also be found in the following adapted Glory be.
All Glory be to you Abba;
and to Mary, Mother of us all;
and to Jesus who is my brother and Messiah;
and to our shared spirit of life and love.
As you were before the beginning,
you are now,
and will be forever,
Love without end.
Douglas Krefting, CiM