Lord’s Prayer: Let It Be with Me According to Your Word
“In the Episcopal order of worship, the priest sometimes introduces the Lord’s Prayer with the words, ‘Now, as our Savior Christ hath taught us, we are bold to say...”’— Frederick Buechner, originally published in Whistling in the Dark from Frederick Buechner Center, Frederick Buechner Quote of the Day.
annunciation. john collier
Buechner reminds us of how bold we are to say perhaps the most recited Christian prayer. But, of course, it is not just a Christian prayer. A Jewish Rabbi wrote it in response to questions by other Jews about how to pray.
My experience is that whenever I visit the sick or homebound, or those in need, no matter what their mental state, they say or show some awareness of the Lord’s Prayer. I have seen those who seem unresponsive twitch or move a hand or mouth a word or have a change in cardiac rhythm, or even begin praying when we close our prayers with this prayer. It is powerful and perhaps one of the last parts of our memory to leave us.
Buechner, however, emphasizes the prayer’s boldness. If we could only find a little of what we are praying for in this prayer in our lives, the world would be dramatically changed, “turning our lives and our wills over to the care of God,” as those in 12-step programs pray daily. This is similar to what Luke quotes Mary in her response to Gabriel, “let it be with me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38).
How bold that we ask for forgiveness as we are forgiven. If we have any hope of being forgiven, we must do the same.
How bold that we ask to be delivered from evil. I sometimes share that I recently was prepared to do something that my gut told me was not right. Some circumstances not of my own doing kept me from it. It was an answer to prayer. God was doing for me what I could not do for myself.
When spiritual friends ask how to find God, I have suggested they pray the Lord’s Prayer boldly as part of a rule of life at designated times during the day that works best for them until we meet again. I will do the same, and we can compare notes.
Joanna joannaseibert.com
