Lord Teach us to Pray

Prayer is a challenge for all of us, but in our current circumstances, we need more than ever to turn our focus to God, who is our strength, and our hope.

As our lives are turned upside down, and our hearts and minds churn with the consequences of COVID-19, perhaps a solid and reassuring starting place for our prayer is to begin with what we do know and can do.

Jesus’ response to the disciples’ cry, “Lord, teach us to pray” was to give them the words and model of the Lord’s Prayer.

So, take a moment. Take a calming breath. And pray what you know.

Pray the familiar words alone or together with others in your home. Pray it over the phone as you connect with wider family and friends. Recite it, read it out, write it down, and reflect on its meaning. It is meaningful, not meaningless. So say what you mean and mean what you pray!

Then try another step, expanding with specific concerns. For example, add your personal petitions after each phrase. Or try modelling your own words on Jesus’ pattern as we see Eugene Petersen has done here in The Message:

Our Father in heaven,

Reveal who you are.

Set the world right;

Do what's best— as above, so below.

Keep us alive with three square meals.

Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.

Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.

You're in charge!

You can do anything you want!

You're ablaze in beauty!

Yes. Yes. Yes.

The Lord’s Prayer “can be like a Christmas tree, on which we hang our own “decorations”, our own prayers.

Or it can be like a map: The directions are there, but we must take the trouble to travel, to pray them.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               (Peter Kreeft, Fundamentals of Faith. Ignatius Press 1988)

Blessings, Karen