It’s Yours,all Yours!

This is how you are to pray:

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 trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. (Matthew 6:7-15)

Several weeks ago in Mass as we were reciting the Lord’s prayer I had an epiphany. I had spent most of my life saying the Lord’s prayer wrong, at least one part of it. How many of us have uttered these words, “Thy will be done” with resignation. Our prayer for His will has been an act of reluctance of releasing our will to His will. Like we are doing something noble, that we are allowing God to not give us our way (which is really what most of us want). “Not my will Lord, but Your will.” I have heard this often and I have often prayed like this. So I am standing in church praying the Our Father, not reciting, but truly entering into it and God shows me the absurdity of our resignation to His will. God’s will for us is Holiness. God’s will for us is to have our joy be complete. God’s will for us is for us to become the person we were created to be. We should be shouting in a tone of praise and thanksgiving, “Thy will be done Lord, please thy will be done!” God’s will is goodness, truth, justice, love. God’s will is to take this mess of a world and introduce it to the Divine Physician. God’s will is healing and restoration. I have sat on this thought knowing that I should write and share but waiting for the right time. Well, today’s Gospel is the Our Father. Jeff and I were on retreat today and in the course of the day we prayed this prayer of our Lord’s not once, twice, or even three times. We prayed this prayer 5 times today. And so before I lay me down to sleep… I get the message Lord, I will send it on to others as well.

Thy will be done Lord! Please, thy will be done!