Lord's Prayer

English-speaking Christians may know the Lord's Prayer akin to the following, which I had memorized as a child even before entering school:

 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 sins,

As we forgive

The trespasses of others.

Lead us not into temptation,

But deliver us from evil.

[For Thine is the Kingdom,

And the Power,

And the Glory,

For ever and ever.

Amen.]

Without  understanding, I memorized it. No child in the early 1970's used terms like "Thy and Thine," and forget about  "Hallowed." But I dutifully memorized it and prayed it often, learning to incorporate it into the rosary.

Over the years, my studies have lead me to see many things through different eyes, but I never questioned the words from this prayer, antiquated though they are. It wasn't until recently that I've studied the words as they were originally spoken in Aramaic - and my Aramaic is even less fluent than my Hebrew. :P There are many different "direct translations" from Aramaic to English, from "O Cosmic Birther" to "may your utmost shine in the highest vibrations." ~~~ Eh?

Though we are all interconnected, interwoven in this tapestry of life, we each still hold a unique perspective. The Spirit within can teach us from this point, even things that are outside our perspective.

If I don't understand something I read or hear today, I turn to Yeshua and ask Him point-blank, "What did you mean by this?"

The answer immediately blossoms in my mind, or sometimes I need to re-read a passage until something clicks. Yet, I must relinquish my preconceived notions, today's definitions of the words (reading English - a language Yeshua never spoke), and decades of teachings. My mind needs to be blank to allow a real understanding to enter.

For me, this is how I have come to understand the Lord's Prayer. For others, it may differ, based on spiritual backgrounds.

Our Creator and Parent,

Who exists both here

and Paradise,

Holy is Your names.* 

The Kingdom is here

When Your Will is done,

Connecting Earth

To Heaven.

Please let us have each day

That which we do need.**

Let our mistakes

Die with the past,

When we do the same

With the mistakes of others,

So they exist no more.

Please lead us away from

Things we do not need,

And thoughts that

Lead us away from You,

Both of which

Bind us to this world.

Please, bring us Home.

For the Kingdom is Yours.

All power is Yours.

All glory is Yours.

Not ours.

Now and for all time.

I believe this with all my heart.***

* Though grammatically incorrect, I did mean multiple names, one God, one of many divine paradoxes.

** Food, water, shelter, protection from elements, and - of course - Love.

*** The meaning of "Amen," akin to "So be it" and "Be it so."

What does the Lord's Prayer mean to you when you ask the Spirit within your soul?

Images: All from the internet. Black & white one with Christ and girl reading: GoodSalt.com. The rest: Source Unknown.