Article June 4, 1949 Issue

Freeing both mothers and children from smothering selfishness and fear

THE LORD'S PRAYER AND MOTHER-LOVE

ADELE NICHOLS

Jesus attached great importance to prayer and admonished his followers to watch and pray. He found, however, that they must be taught how to pray, and with his most intimate followers gathered close about him he set before them the model of true prayer in what is known as the Lord's Prayer (Matt. 6:9-13): "Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever."

The truth in this prayer, when understood, changes thought from a material to a spiritual basis; that is, it pierces the veil of materiality as a ray of light penetrates the darkness. It refutes material believing with spiritual knowing, the personal sense of man with the truth of his spiritual identity as a child of God. It acknowledges the Life that is God.

There came to Mary Baker Eddy, through her communion with God, the revelation that God is our Mother as well as our Father. She states in the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 256), "Love, the divine Principle, is the Father and Mother of the universe, including man." Mrs. Eddy also considered the Lord's Prayer so vital that she gave the spiritual interpretation of it in the concluding paragraph of her chapter on Prayer in this same book. She expressed the first line thus (p. 16): "Our Father-Mother God, all-harmonious." This momentous revelation signifies Love's allness—the fatherhood and motherhood of God. This true concept of Father and Mother lifts thought above the false beliefs of creeds, dogmas, rituals, and traditions.

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