In the Light of Truth

28. The Lord's Prayer

There are but few who, when praying, try to realise what they mean when they say “Our Father”, the introductory words of the Lord's Prayer, and still fewer understand the meaning of the following sentences that they rattle off. To rattle off is the right expression for what, in this case, men call praying. He who after honestly examining himself does not acknowledge this, only proves that he has been superficial in all things all his life, and is not, and never was capable of thinking seriously. There are enough mortals on this earth who take themselves seriously but who, with the best will in the world, cannot be taken seriously by others.

It is the very beginning of this prayer which has always been misunderstood in different ways. A certain sense of safety and comfort steals over those who pray earnestly and from their hearts, when they say these introductory words, and this feeling remains with them for some moments after their prayers are over.

This explains two things: in the first place that the man can only concentrate his attention on these preliminary words, which have inspired him with these feelings and secondly, the fact that his inspiration is so short-lived shows, that he is far off from understanding what he has been saying.

It is clear that either he has not been able to keep up the strain of serious thought for any continuous time, or it reveals the superficiality of his nature; otherwise he would find that the next words, as soon as they became life in him, would inspire him with another feeling, one corresponding to their tenor. If he understood the real meaning of these words and their importance his sensation of comfort and safety would cease and a different feeling would be awakened in his breast.

Some people (the more conceited) see in the words “Our Father” a confirmation of their opinion that they descend from God Himself and, if properly developed, will finally become Divine, and that, in the meantime, they partake of Divine nature.

Besides this, there are other errors regarding this sentence, but most men look upon it as an invocation to the Almighty and say it mechanically, and as it costs the least effort in thinking, they repeat it thoughtlessly, although it is just these words which should be uttered with the greatest fervour of which man's soul is capable.

But none of these interpretations are right. The Son of God chose these words to express the spirit in which the human soul should approach the Almighty if he hopes that his prayer should be granted; they distinctly define the nature of the only possible relationship to God, of which man must be conscious when he lays his petition at the steps of the Almighty's Throne.

There are three parts to this prayer. The first part shows the self-abasement of the soul, humbling itself before God, seeking to unfold itself before Him and declare its genuine and devoted subjection before it utters a desire.

The Son of God tries to make it evident that this is the feeling a man must be conscious of if he desires to approach the Almighty. Hence these introductory words appear in the light of a sacred vow of allegiance: “ Our Father which art in Heaven.”

Consider a moment; a prayer is not synonymous with a request, otherwise there would be no thanksgiving prayers which contain no requests. To pray is not to beg.

In their mistaken way of thinking men are not in the habit of coming to God unless they expect something, if indeed they do not demand something of Him. A demand lies in every request, and man cannot deny that he always comes with some request.

It may be only a vague desire to secure a place in heaven. He does not know what it is to praise God jubilantly for the glad enjoyment of his conscious being. For being able to do his appointed work of cooperation for the welfare of his surroundings in accordance with God's Holy Will. He does not even suspect that just this, and only this, would further his own welfare, his progress and advancement.

This is the basis that the Lord's Prayer rests on. The Son of God, who only sought to bring about man's welfare (which depends on the right understanding and obeying of God's behests) could not have worded it otherwise.

Thus the prayer He taught is anything but a begging petition; it is an earnest and comprehensive vow on the part of man to lay himself at his Master's feet.

Jesus gave this prayer to His disciples who were then prepared to worship God in truth and purity, to serve God in or by their lives, and by this service to honour His Holy Will.

Before he begins, man should consider whether he dare make use of this prayer, and enquire of his conscience whether, in repeating it, he is not trying to deceive his God.

The introductory sentences admonish every one to examine his conscience to make sure whether he really is what he professes to be in this prayer; whether he may present himself before God's throne without hypocrisy.

If the first three sentences strike root in you they will lead you to the steps of the throne of God. They are the way, the sure and the safe way, provided they are realised in a man's soul.

But if these sentences do not live, i. e. become part of man's living soul, they cannot reach God. When you say: Our Father which art in Heaven, it must be a humble but a joyful outcry, coming from your hearts. This cry voices your sincere vow. “I give Thee, Oh my God, all paternal rights over me; I will submit with the obedience of a child; I recognise, Oh my God, the wisdom of all Thy behests; I beg Thee to treat me as a Father treats his children: I am here, Oh Lord, to listen to Thee and to obey Thee like a child.”

The second sentence, Hallowed be Thy Name, contains the assurance of the worshipper that he is in profound earnest in what he ventures to affirm; that every thought and every word comes from his inmost heart: that he is in no wise trivially profaning God's Holy Name which he venerates too highly to abuse. Consider, ye worshippers, what ye are vowing! If you are honest you must confess that up till now you have lied to God. You were never as serious in your prayer as the Son of God took for granted you would be, and which He made conditional.

The third sentence, Thy Kingdom come, is not a request but again a vow: The earth shall become like the heavenly Kingdom by the devotion and service of human souls. Thus the words Thy Kingdom come mean: we will improve and perfect this earth so far that Thy perfect reign may extend to us. We will prepare the soil, i. e. make conditions enabling all men to live according to Thy Holy Will, that Thy laws may all be implicitly obeyed, that it may become like the spiritual world where the blessed spirits dwell, who are washed free from burdens and sins, and whose whole lives are devoted to Thy service. For as Thy laws are perfect, good can only come from unconditionally obeying them. Thus it is man's assurance that he will become fit and capable to found a kingdom on earth which will carry out God's intentions and purposes. This assurance is accentuated in the next sentence Thy Will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

This is not only a declaration that man will implicitly obey God's Holy Will, but it promises that man will diligently seek to know and understand this Will. This seeking must precede the obeying, for until man knows God's Will he cannot adjust his feelings, thoughts, speech, and actions to suit it. What reprehensible carelessness of man repeatedly to give these assurances to his God, never troubling or caring to enquire what Divine Will decrees on which Creation rests. If this is the attitude of man, every word of his prayer is a lie, and he stands before his God as a hypocrite and deceiver. He would be adding new sins to the old ones and yet would expect commiseration when he breaks down under this burden of sin in the next world.

Man has now been given three opportunities to know God's Holy Will. Once Moses brought it and was inspired to write the commandments. The second time was through the Son of God Himself, Jesus Christ, who was Truth incarnate, and now the third and last time in the Message from the Holy Grail, which has been educed from the Truth. —

Not until these sentences have been fully digested and the vows observed as a preliminary process, can the soul proceed to say: Give us today our daily bread.

This says in other words: When I have done what I promised to do, let Thy blessing rest upon my work and, whilst attending to the physical necessities of my body, may I always find time to do Thy Holy Will.

And forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive them that tresspass against us. Here knowledge is communicated of the incorruptible justice of the spiritual law of returns in which God's Will is made manifest. The petition to be forgiven and released from sin is conditional on the petitioner having previously forgiven all wrongs done by him to his fellow-men. He who is so far advanced that he has fully forgiven his neighbour what he has suffered at his hands, is so far matured that he would never intentionally do wrong. If so, he is also free of all guilt in God's eyes, for with Him only that is wrong that has been done with evil intention. It all depends with what intentions the deed was done. Here there is a great difference from the opinions current in the world today.

Thus the burden of this sentence is also a promise: the soul aspiring to the Light declares its will to fulfil what it vows to God. In the concentration of prayer, it hopes to gain self-knowledge and self-control, and to him who prays in the right spirit, help will come according to the law of returns.

And lead us not into temptation. It is quite wrong for man to come to the conclusion that God would ever lead him into temptation. God tempts no man. In this case, owing to a doubtful transcription the unfortunate choice of the word tempt was made. The right meaning would be something like confusion, going astray, looking for the Light on the wrong path. Hence the petition would be “Let us not choose wrong paths and seek in the wrong direction, nor lose and waste, and fritter away our time in this way; but restrain us, if necessarily forcibly, even if the process causes us suffering and pain”. Man should realise that this is what is meant by the wording of the next sentence, which evidently belongs to it: But deliver us from evil. The little word but is a clear proof of their connections, and the meaning is identical with: “May we recognise what is evil at whatever cost, even at the cost of pain and suffering. May the inflexible law of returns teach us every time we sin, for in recognising our sins lies release also for those who are earnest seekers.”

Here the second part of the prayer, man's converse with God, ends.

For Thine is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory for ever and ever. Amen.

This third and last part is the jubilant assurance of safety the soul enjoys in the protection of the Almighty. It lays its vows at His feet in prayer.

Thus we distinguish two parts in the prayer the Son of God gave us: the introduction and the converse with God to which Luther added the jubilant outcry expressing his knowledge that help will come to the petitioner and strength be given him to fulfil what he has promised.

The accomplishment of what it vowed must carry the soul up to God's Kingdom, to the region of eternal joy and Light. In this way the Lord's Prayer, when realised and made living will be a staff and a support to mount to the Spiritual Kingdom.

Man should not forget that in praying, properly speaking, he is only seeking the power to realise himself what he is praying for. And it is in this sense that the prayer the Son of God gave his disciples must be prayed.

[Grail Message by Abdrushin]  [Resonances to the Grail Message]