The Casa del Sol Prayer of Jesus

Ground of all being,
Mother of life, Father of the universe,
Your name is sacred, beyond speaking.
May we know your presence,
may your longings be our longings in heart and in action.
May there be food for the human family today
and for the whole earth community.
Forgive us the falseness of what we have done
as we forgive those who are untrue to us.
Do not forsake us in our time of conflict
but lead us into new beginnings.
For the light of life, the vitality of life, and the glory of life
are yours now and for ever.
Amen

Written by J. Philip Newell, text reprinted from GhostRanch.org.

The prayer is printed with color photos of the New Mexico landscape as Ground Of All Being: The Prayer Of Jesus In Color.

You can find the score to chant the prayer, composed by David Poole, here.

R father (Pater Noster SMS)

rejesus held a competition for the best text message version of the Lord's Prayer. Here's one of the winners.

Gzus said…
dad@hvn,ur spshl.
we want wot u want &urth2b like hvn.
giv us food&4giv r sins lyk we 4giv uvaz.
don’t test us! save us! bcos we kno ur boss, ur tuf&ur cool 4 eva!ok?

Inclusive Bible Translation

Abba God in heaven,
hallowed be your name!
May your reign come;
may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven:
give us today
the bread of Tomorrow.
And forgive us our debts as we hereby forgive those
who are indebted to us.
Don't put us to the test,
but free us from evil.

Matthew 6:9-13 from The Inclusive Bible, First Egalitarian Translation

"The Message" Paraphrase

Here is a paraphrase from The Message.

Our Father in heaven,
Reveal who you are.
Set the world right;
Do what's best— as above, so below.
Keep us alive with three square meals.
Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.
Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.
You're in charge!
You can do anything you want!
You're ablaze in beauty!
Yes. Yes. Yes.

A Contemporary Lord's Prayer Song for Worship

Brian McLaren shares a version of the Lord's Prayer for use in faith communities and private prayer.

"Your supreme and good and just rule"

O God, far above and beyond our grasp,
  yet close to us like a parent:
Let the time come soon
  when you are recognized by all as God.
That is, when you establish
  your supreme and good and just rule
  over your whole creation.
Yes, let the time come soon
  when your gracious plan for salvation
  becomes a reality on earth
  as it now is in heaven.
While we wait for that day,
  let us already now enjoy
  the foretaste of the messianic banquet
  as we share in the bread that sustains our bodies.
In order to make us worthy of that community,
  forgive us what we have done wrong
    to our brothers and sisters
  as we have already forgiven those who did wrong to us;
  for we know that we are and must be
  the mutually forgiven community,
  your community of these end times.
And see to it that we are not tested beyond our strength,
  for we know that Satan can destroy us--
  unless you rescue us out of his ferocious grip.

    by Krister Stendahl, in The Kingdom On Its Way

St. Francis' Paraphrase of the Lord's Prayer

There is a long tradition of paraphrasing the prayer of Jesus. Many are available online, such as the one below. Consider writing your own paraphrase.


Here is a video rendition of Francis' paraphrase. Below is an older English translation.



A PARAPHRASE OF THE LORD'S PRAYER, by St. Francis of Assisi

Our Father: Most Holy, our Creator and Redeemer, our Savior and our Comforter.

Who art in Heaven: in the angels and the saints. Who gives them light so that they may have knowledge, because Thou, Lord, are Light. Who inflames them so that they may love, because Thou, Lord, are Love. Who lives continually in them and who fills them so that they may be happy, because Thou, Lord, are the Supreme Good, the Eternal Good, and it is from Thee that all good comes, and without Thee there is no good.

Hallowed be Thy Name: May our knowledge of Thee become ever clearer, so that we may realize the extent of Thy benefits, the steadfastness of Thy promises, the sublimity of Thy Majesty and the depth of Thy judgments.

Thy Kingdom come: so that Thou may reign in us by Thy grace and bring us to Thy Kingdom, where we shall see Thee clearly, love Thee perfectly, be blessed in Thy company and enjoy Thee forever.

Thy Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven: so that we may love Thee with our whole heart by always thinking of Thee; with our whole mind by directing our whole intention towards Thee and seeking Thy glory in everything; and with all our strength by spending all our powers and affections of soul and body in the service of Thy Love alone. And may we love our neighbors as ourselves, encouraging them all to love Thee as best we can, rejoicing as the good fortune of others, just as it were our own, and sympathizing with their misfortunes, while giving offense to no one.

Give us this day our daily bread: Thy own beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to remind us of the love He showed for us and to help us understand and appreciate it and everything that he did or said or suffered.

And forgive us our trespasses: in Thy infinite Mercy, and by the power of the Passion of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, together with the merits and the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and all your saints.

As we forgive those who trespass against us: and if we do not forgive perfectly, Lord, make us forgive perfectly, so that we may indeed love our enemies for love of Thee, and pray fervently to Thee for them, returning no one evil for evil, anxious only to serve everybody in Thee.

And lead us not into temptation: hidden or obvious, sudden or unforeseen. But deliver us from evil: Present, past, or to come.

Amen.