Meditations on the Lord's Prayer

Introduction to The Lord’s Prayer.

Let's dive deeper into that The Lord's Prayer isn't just a bunch of words – it's more like a secret code to our faith—a magic wand for spiritual growth. You can chant it by heart or read it aloud, but let it sink in. Feel every word in your bones. When you pray with all your heart, it's like giving the prayer a power-up, a turbo boost for your spiritual journey. This prayer is a beacon of hope, ready to light up your faith journey with a sprinkle of magic and a dash of inspiration.

The Lord’s Prayer is the most important prayer. If you could only have one, that is the one to have. Now, I understand that this is my personal opinion. It's a belief I've held close throughout my life that has come to my aid repeatedly.

Some consider the Lord’s prayer as a summary of the good news Jesus taught. The Lord’s prayer is full of powers that help us, and I suggest you take meditation, and contemplation time using the Lord’s prayer repeatedly. Think about the meanings of every phrase because each one is put there for a reason. Repeating and declaring the Lord’s prayer with emotion energizes us. It grounds us. It revitalizes us. You can receive practical spiritual advice once you learn the meaning behind what Jesus taught us in this prayer.

When I recite The Lord’s Prayer, I make a series of deliberate affirmations or declarations spoken with deep belief and emotion. This personal connection to the prayer empowers and connects me to its transformative power. Reciting the Lord's Prayer aloud is a powerful ritual of affirmation and declaration.

During my prayers, I may use the rosary beads as a guide. This practice helps me maintain focus on the affirming nature of the prayer. I was inspired to adopt this method after learning about the miracles performed by saints using the Lord’s Prayer. I found that repeating the prayer at least 15 times raised my consciousness. Using this practical ritual in my prayer room has invoked transformative spiritual power. I invite you to explore your own ways of experiencing this power.

Ultimately, the Lord’s prayer is about prosperity for us. It’s an instruction manual, if you will. It’s concise and to the point and contains the spiritual and metaphysical laws that Jesus knew humanity needed.

The first section of the Lord’s prayer

The first part of the Lord’s prayer concerns God's glory. Almost half of this prayer is aligned with contemplating God’s great nature. We also contemplate what Jesus taught us about God and affirm the Almighty's goodness and benevolence. In this section, we also set the stage for our mental state, which helps us prepare properly to pray to the Father. We will be focusing on this section in today’s blog.  

Affirming the Lord’s prayer 

We grasp Jesus' teachings through specific words and sequences in the Lord’s Prayer, starting with the foundation that one must understand something before affirming it. When we comprehend this, we can confidently declare our beliefs with emotion and sincerity, visualizing God's abundance and kindness towards us.

“Our Father”

It's crucial to recognize that Jesus emphasizes the spiritual basis of prosperity by addressing God as our Father. Jesus illustrates our unity with the universal spirit, encompassing all aspects of abundance and care. This differed from the tone of many religious leaders in Jesus' time, who often portrayed God as punitive rather than loving.

While the teachings of the Old Testament hold significance, they are not meant to instill fear in God's children. Understanding the guidelines for living a righteous life is essential, but God does not want us to dread retribution constantly.

When Jesus refers to God as "father," he suggests that God is characterized by love. Jesus emphasizes that the fundamental relationship between God and His children is akin to that of a father and child. Viewing God as a loving father enhances the unity of our prayers with God.

Conversely, perceiving God in other ways creates distance. As God encompasses all and we are integral parts of the Divine, any sense of separation weakens our connection. Jesus highlights in the opening words of this prayer that by recognizing God as a loving father, we connect with God's flow, blessings, and harmony.

Another obvious concept Jesus emphasizes, but which is often overlooked, is that God does not categorize His children by race, gender, intelligence, physical abilities, or other human-imposed labels that divide us. As you deepen your prayer and meditation practices, you will understand the absurdity of any divisions based on such criteria. The transcendent nature of God transcends such distinctions, a truth that Jesus emphasizes from the outset.

“Which art in Heaven”

When Jesus affirms that God is in heaven, he gives us instructions. Heaven is the expanded mind that we need to commune with God. It is the kingdom. It is a state or kingdom of prosperity. It is a state or kingdom where we are perfect and one with God. Heaven is an expanded state of mind—a state of possibilities—a state of mind that supersedes the appearance of the outside world.

Now that we understand what Jesus was trying to teach us at the beginning of this wonderful prayer, we can see that the idea of not being in harmony with God is a separation. If we pray in fear, we will not be in union with the Almighty. We don’t barter with God, either. I think I’ve done this many times, especially when I was young. I would say things like, “God, if you do this for me, then I will do that.” Bargaining with a source that holds all the cards is not that bright. Before you bargain with the supreme, know, as Emerson says, that God’s dice are always loaded.

What we are trying to do when we reach the heavenly states is to not think like most humans and think more God like. By understanding that God is the source of all, we have a greater chance of aligning with that source. It is worthwhile to meditate on and contemplate the idea of God as our loving father. A loving father will grant our wishes if they’re good for us and we ask properly. One way I do this is to think of the magnificence of God’s glory and generosity. How I can see his love for me is expressed in every breath I take. In time, poise sets in, and we meditate in alignment.

To close this blog, I give you two meditations and invite you to meditate on the meaning of the first six words Jesus gave us in The Lord’s Prayer.

Meditation on – “Our Father”

 Sit quietly and meditate on the fact that Jesus affirms God’s nature and truth for us. This relationship is that of father and child. Let your thoughts pass through the idea that as children of God, we participate in God’s nature of being. God pervades all things and is the divine spirit. We are also a part of this divine spirit.

Try to feel that God's nature as a merciful and loving father is why he gives good gifts to his children. He bestows them out of love. This meditation may also help us alleviate mental and spiritual suffering that is based on fear.

Last, let the thought reflect that God is our Father. Thus, we melt away the illusion of separateness based on differences such as race, gender, ethnicity, or physical condition. We start to understand that when we affirm the words “Our Father,” we are praying for all of humanity. We can start to feel we are part of one body in God.   

   Meditation on – “Which Art in Heaven”

Meditate on the idea that God's nature is to be in Heaven, and ours is here on Earth. God is the source. God is cause. We are “effect.” We are manifestations of God. We express God by taking our manifestations to the light of the world or earth that we live in. We walk with God.

Heaven means the presence of God, and Jesus is telling us to invoke a heavenly state of mind to commune with God in prayer.  

 

I wish you peace and happiness in God’s Love. Peace, Joseph Pikul