The Rev. Todd R. Goddard, Pastor
Three Newsletter Articles for Three Months (August – October, 2023)
The Lord’s Prayer has been a staple in my life, an anchor for my spiritual journey. As I’ve aged, matured, and gathered life experiences, my appreciation and understanding of these sacred directions for prayer has evolved and borne great fruit. Prayer is one of my spiritual disciplines, which I practice at numerous times of the day, drawing deep on memorized prayers, scripture, or free thought and expression.
It is my practice that, at the end of the day, I recite the Lord’s Prayer, slowly, thoroughly, and without interruption or intruding thoughts. A tangential distraction causes me to stop, breath deep, and start again from the top. Rarely does it take more than three or four attempts to exercise the Lord’s Prayer in deliberate completeness. When successful, anxieties cease, and blessed sleep gently comes.
The Lord’s Prayer is recorded in both Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:2-4. The text from Matthew is longer and falls on the ear of a Gentile audience, many with little or no religious experience. Luke is short, sweet, and to the point, intended to be consumed by former Jews who have left behind their orthodox rabbinical upbringing and started the spiritual journey as disciples of Jesus.
The Bible you are reading is a better translation than the dusty Bible on a bookshelf that hasn’t been opened in years. Versions draw from multiple source documents in the original Greek, Aramaic, and Latin. Translations attempt, sometimes better, other times worse, to correlate the old with the new, across cultures, times, and distance. New language becomes old with the setting sun. What was new yesterday isn’t in use today. Consider how English has changed just in the short span of our lifetime.
This photograph is an etching of the Lord’s Prayer in old English, created by my friend, Russell, who is completing his term in Federal prison. He created it, sent it to his mother who framed it, and she gave it to me. It is a kind gift, which I greatly treasure. It is written in English, yet, can any one read it for me? My point is, knowing and respecting the limitations of language brings great sensitivity and insight into scripture and interpretation.
I was taught as a child the Lord’s Prayer from the 1662 Edition of the Anglican Book of Common Prayer, as replicated in the United Methodist Book of Worship. Though I didn’t know the source, rote memory has burned these directions of Jesus into my spiritual DNA. Accepting each word at face value frees me to contemplate deeper meaning and understanding.
“Our Father which art in heaven” is an introduction that reveals much about the one praying and the divine recipient of our prayer. “Our,” implies a collective whole. It doesn’t begin with an individualistic “My”. The Father is shared by all creation. The paternal reference to God is an attempt to personify the loving parenthood of our creator. We share a common father, whose creative effort is the source of life, and whose every effort is for the benefit and welfare of humankind. This makes us sisters and brothers, united with God’s Son, Jesus Christ, whose common family trait is love. When we forget our common father and unity with Christ, we begin to fail and fall from grace.
“Hallowed be thy Name;” From Exodus we know that the word ‘hallowed’ means to render sacred, to consecrate, or to be made holy. Both casual and profane uses of God’s name does not render to God the justice ‘hallowed’ expects. God’s name should never be used to express selfish anger, the execution of a contract, or in threat of damnation. What if we fail to uphold our word, sworn in God’s name? What if we assume divine power that isn’t ours to claim or wield? God’s name is holy; treat it as such, with sparing respect and reverence. The use of God’s name should only be in the context of worship, bringing focus to glory, honor, and praise. Otherwise, I attempt to limit my use of God’s name to extend God’s blessing and love. These uses demonstrate sacred respect.
“Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven.” The word ‘Thy’ implies ownership and stewardship. This isn’t my kingdom, or your kingdom. Let’s get this straight: this is God’s kingdom. God created each of us, gave us life, and set us in God’s kingdom to fulfill God’s will. This is our purpose in life. Thy will is easily misunderstood as my will. The first step of kingdom transformation begins with personal transformation; from the self-centered ‘I’ to the God-centered “Thy.” Understanding God’s will takes effort to watch, listen, and discern. God’s will often becomes known in private and confirmed in community. Prayer is confirmed or dismissed by a community of praying sisters and brothers. God’s kingdom in earth, as it stands today, is incomplete. More needs done, and it is our job to do it to the very best of our ability. Jesus equates a future completed earthly kingdom with the current heavenly kingdom. This perfection is that which God’s seeks.
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The wind gently blew down the St. Lawrence River valley, from left to right, west to east, carrying with it the aroma of summer weed pollen and fresh marine vegetation. Our family pop-up camper occupied a site right on the beach looking north. A central campfire was surrounded by numerous pup tents. Canada, a whole civilization, was on the north side, who’s presence was felt, but inhabitants too distant to be seen. The sun was yet to rise, giving a hint of light and warmth to those who dared to stir. Bacon cracked in the cast iron frying pan. A bowl of batter and whisk were poised at the ready. Squatting, our stomachs waited for our daily bread.
My dad was the pastor of the Sinclairville United Methodist Church in the late 60s. The ten, or so, elementary school aged kids and I were recent graduates of his acolyte orientation program. Successful graduates were given the privilege of lighting the altar candles prior to worship and extinguishing them at the end. Our final pass/fail project was to memorize and recite both The Apostle’s Creed and The Lord’s Prayer. The promise of a St. Lawrence camping trip and belly full of bacon and pancakes marked our success.
Jesus taught his disciples to pray “Give us this day our daily bread.”
He doesn’t say to look for discounts and sales, load up the freezer, or to stock up for a rainy day. The image of Bread from Heaven from Exodus 16 should linger. This day; means today. Daily bread; sufficient from start to finish, sunup to sundown. No more, no less. We are compelled to trust that just as the Lord has provided for today, so, too, will the Lord provide for our every nutritional need tomorrow. Excess that we stock away will only turn to rot.
Jesus responds to the temptation by the devil in the wilderness to turn stones into bread with his answer, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4:4). The word from the mouth of God feeds us, just as certainly as our evening supper. Seek, knock, open, find. Feast on the word of God, as found in scripture and Gospel. Drink from the fountain of the water of life, and thirst no more. Drink from the cup shared with you, and taste the salvation of God.
The God of my experience has abundantly provided for my physical, emotional, and spiritual sustenance each and every day of my life, from bottle and breast, to the skim and Kashi I had for breakfast this morning. Fresh each day, the word of God has sustained me, just as it is able to sustain you.
“And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us” Jesus taught. Trespass. Sin. Debts. Whichever. Whatever. What works for you is the best translation to use.
An honest, transparent, authentic petition for forgiveness requires absolute humility. It recognizes the fact that a sin has been committed, either with an intentional act to harm (commission), or, by a failure to act (omission). It requires an admission of guilt, a confession of our moral failure. No one likes to admit they are wrong, your pastor not withstanding! But, wrong I am, to confront evil, injustice, racism when ever and where ever I’ve found them. I am wrong to break any of the ten commandments, just as I am wrong to exaggerate the truth. Sin is not confined by size or impact. Big, or small, frequent or infrequent, sin is sin. Harming another requires sincere forgiveness.
Forgiveness requires one to cease and desist. Stop the sin; and vow to sin no more; that’s called repentance. Forgiveness requires reparations. Fix and repair the damage I’ve done. Make it right, as if sin hadn’t occurred in the first place.
Forgiveness is a three-way intersection. Sin is the abuse of another. We sin against God. And we harm ourselves. Our forgiveness is a willingness to repair what we’ve broken, bringing restoration with others, with our God, and within ourselves. Forgiveness comes first from God, through the redemptive act of Jesus Christ, and is given to us as a gift of grace as a tool to wield, that God’s kingdom may become perfected on earth as it is in heaven.
There is a word that connects the two phrases about trespasses. The word is “as”. Forgiveness given is to be balanced with forgiveness received. A world out of balance abuses the perfect nature of God’s intent for the redemption of humanity.
Lastly, forgiveness is a habit of experience that we are to teach by word and example to the next generation. Just as we have received forgiveness as a gift from God, so, too, are we to pass the gift on to our children. Give it away. Teach it well. Be certain to make the connection between forgiveness and the cross of Jesus Christ. He died to take our sin away; vow to not to muck it up again. You’ve cleaned up; keep yourself clean; and, lend a hand to help others keep themselves growing among moral, ethical, and spiritual lines, too.
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When we gather for worship, the Lord’s Prayer plays a prominent part in the liturgy, the ebb and flow of Word proclaimed and Prayers at the Eucharistic Table. Though visited occasionally by the three-year lectionary guide, it is our United Methodist habit to include the Lord’s Prayer on a weekly basis. It is elemental to our faith.
When we have no words, Jesus gives us words. When lost, the Lord’s Prayer provides orientation and stability when most needed. When my mind races down tangential rabbit holes, the Lord’s Prayer provides me center, quiet, and peace. Balance is restored, forgiveness is granted, danger is averted. God’s kingdom is lifted high, God’s power and glory is acknowledged, and God’s name is appropriately hallowed.
A quick back-of-the-napkin summation tells me I’ve celebrated 271 funerals, 128 weddings, and led more than 1,824 worship services. I estimate I’ve recited the Lord’s Prayer over 19,000 times each night before sleep. That is a lot of Lord’s Prayer. It has become for me the common strand of spiritual DNA that links me to sinners and saints, past, present, and future. It joins Jesus to my hip, sharing heart and hands.
Standing in the Lyons, NY cemetery recently, reading from my 1965 Book of Worship, my aging fingers traced the sacred words, illuminated by the afternoon sun, as we bid good-bye and laid Paul to rest. The 21,223rd recitation of the Lord’s Prayer was just as deep and heartfelt as the first. Prayer changes this disciple for the better, and can do the same for you, too.
Jesus says, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” Too often, this thought is broken into two, leading to the misunderstanding that God would somehow lead us into temptation. No. This is a recognition that evil and temptation are a present and dangerous part of the world. This recognizes God’s promise to be present, to give us strength, and to give us guidance to steer clear of temptation and evil. When we do fail and step into the mire of sin, God’s promise, made manifest by the redemption of Jesus Christ, throws us a lifeline and gives us a second chance.
God desires our righteousness; our adherence to law and fidelity to faith. Healing and well-being follow.
You and I will face temptations and evil. Count on it. Ignore it at your own peril. Pastors and faith leaders are magnets for the evil of this world. I know this to be true. The Lord’s Prayer gives me confidence to square off with the devil and stair him down. No one can do this on individual merit or strength. You and I are free to lean heavy into God’s presence and power.
“For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory,” Jesus continues. This is God’s kingdom. Thanks for asking. Not yours, not mine, not Albany’s, nor Washington’s. This is God’s kingdom and we are so privileged to be citizens benefiting of God’s love, mercy, and grace. God’s power reigns supreme. There are no competitors. We need fear no enemy, no government, no competitor to our faith and values. When we know God has all power, we are freed from a fear-based existence. Living free from fear is a life transformed, a new heaven, and a new earth. To God be the glory, a recognition of what God has done throughout salvation history, from the first day of creation to your most recent heartbeat. To God be the glory, winning victory over death, the creator of mortal life, the giver of eternal life.
“For ever and ever,” Jesus concludes. Time is suspended in God’s kingdom. “A thousand years is like a day to the Lord” the apostle Peter reminds the Church. The Alpha and the Omega invites us into an ocean of grace to eternally benefit from God’s love and power. These are not circular theological discussions meant to appease the uninformed and ignorant. The Lord’s Prayer is our stake in the sand, making our claim as disciples of Jesus, confident in our faith, placing our complete and whole trust in the Lord.
Beloved, join me in prayer; the Lord’s Prayer.
Todd
Breaking Yokes 