Time off to pray the Lord's prayer

Luke 11:1-4

         Growing up I never had a real attraction or comfort level with saying rote prayers such as the Hail Mary or the Our Father. I especially was not attracted to the Rosary. I always felt more compelled to carry on a conversation directly with God.  That doesn't mean I didn't say the prayers. It doesn't mean I said them lightly, with perhaps the exception of attending Catholic grammar school when I could rattle off 20 Hail Mary's in a blistering 30 seconds (as penance after confession).

          It wasn't until I learned more about the art of praying (perhaps in the Seminary) that I realized the value and possibilities of saying the Rosary even if I still didn't feel a connection to it.

          One thing that I did discover was the joy of meditative prayer. I have spent some time praying the Our Father over weeks or perhaps months. Meditating on each word with all of it's meanings, possibilities and hopes. 

         At the same time that I am going to suggest you do it ( as I am ), I am going to make you aware that I may not be making a blog entry every day now for the foreseeable future. I may get to write each day but I may not. You can always divert to my meditation of the Our Father in whatever form you choose. Today's passage offers one form. The Romans use one form, the Episcopalians a slightly different form. Find one you like, devour it, breath it, meditate over each word and savour it. 

         One of things I am thinking as I begin this anew is my intention to meditate and pray with a focus on being gay and what that means to me and how the Lord's prayer impacts my life or the life of the LGBTQ community. The Lord's prayer speaks loudly to each of us if we choose to listen.

He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.’ He said to them, ‘When you pray, say:

Father, hallowed be your name.

   Your kingdom come. 

Give us each day our daily bread. 

And forgive us our sins,

     for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us.

   And do not bring us to the time of trial.’