Exploring the Lord's Prayer

Jesus' native tongue certainly was not the same as our modern English. Have you ever wondered how the original 'Our Father' might have been delivered to his Disciples?

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus gives instruction on prayer and how to pray. We follow this Gospel excerpt with a translation from what the words in Aramaic might have been. As beautiful and full as the modern version of the Lord's Prayer is, I personally find this translation to be even more deeply meditative, bringing me deeper into communion with God the Creator as I speak these words from my own heart to God's heart.

Matthew 6:5-9

⁵ “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ⁶ But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. ⁷ And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. ⁸ Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

⁹ “This, then, is how you should pray:

A Translation of "Our Father" directly from Aramaic into English

O cosmic Birther of all radiance and vibration.

Soften the ground of our being and

carve out a space within us where your Presence can abide.

Fill us with your creativity so that we

may be empowered to bear the fruit of your mission.

Let each of our actions bear fruit in accordance with our desire.

Endow us with the wisdom to produce and

share what each being needs to grow and flourish.

Untie the tangled threads of destiny that bind us,

as we release others from the entanglement of past mistakes.

Do not let us be seduced by that which would divert us from our true purpose, but illuminate the opportunities of the present moment.

For you are the ground and the fruitful vision, the birth, power and fulfillment,

as all is gathered and made whole once again.

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Here I align the original verbiage with the modern translation:

O cosmic Birther of all radiance and vibration.

Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Soften the ground of our being and carve out a space within us where your Presence can abide.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.

Fill us with your creativity so that we may be empowered to bear the fruit of your mission. Let each of our actions bear fruit in accordance with our desire.

Endow us with the wisdom to produce and share what each being needs to grow and flourish.

Give us this day, our daily bread.

Untie the tangled threads of destiny that bind us, as we release others from the entanglement of past mistakes.

And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.

Do not let us be seduced by that which would divert us from our true purpose, but illuminate the opportunities of the present moment.

Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.

For you are the ground and the fruitful vision, the birth, power and fulfillment, as all is gathered and made whole once again.

For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, now and forever.

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Prayer, Communion with God.