Just returned from Poland, where it was my privilege
to assist at a wedding of a lovely couple.
The next few blog days will be devoted to various interpretations of the familiar words of The Lord's Prayer.
God, who cares for us, The wonder of whose presence fills us with awe. Let kindness, justice and love shine in our world. Let your secrets be known here as they are in heaven. Give us the food and the hope we need for today. Forgive us our wrongdoing as we forgive the wrongs done to us. Protect us from pride and from despair and from the fear and hate which can swallow us up. In you is truth, meaning, glory and power, while worlds come and go.
An interpretation written by Monica Furlong , who had a considerable following among those who found
the Christian faith interesting, and possibly significant, but had difficulty with its orthodox presentation.
She herself enjoyed a love/hate relationship with the Church of England, to which she belonged up to her death in 2003.
“The real Christian is always a revolutionary.
To say day by day
“Thy Kingdom Come”,
if these tremendous words
really stand for a conviction and desire,
does not mean
“I quite hope that some day
the Kingdom of God will be established,
and peace and goodwill prevail.
But at present
I don’t see how it is to be managed,
or what I can do about it.”
On the contrary, it means, or should mean,
“Here am I! Send me!”
Active, costly collaboration with the Spirit
in whom we believe.”
Evelyn Underhill - more of her to come this month. She was an English Anglo-Catholic writer and pacifist known for her numerous works on religion and spiritual practice, in particular Christian mysticism. She died in 1941.
Father, some of us are in desperate need of a new beginning.
As we read your words and think about what they mean
give us fresh hope that we can move safely
to the other side of difficulty and disaster.
Be with us as we watch closely for
opportunities to help others
who need to make a fresh
start. Clear our heads,
so that we may hear
your voice
Adrian Plass
