Article February 23, 1998 Issue

The most powerful prayer of all

"All Christian churches have one bond of unity, one nucleus or point of convergence, one prayer, — the Lord's Prayer." Mary Baker Eddy (Pulpit and Press, p. 22)

Jill Gooding

Have You Ever realized there isn't a single "I," "me," or "mine" in the Lord's Prayer? It's all "our" and "us." This is a universal prayer. In the Bible it is only five verses long, but it covers all human needs. It speaks to the child and the most eminent theologian. The author of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures has written what she understands to be the spiritual sense of the Lord's Prayer. (The entire prayer and its spiritual interpretation by Mary Baker Eddy appear on the facing page.)

When I consider the Lord's Prayer, I realize that there are surely many ways to think of the infinite meanings to be found in its inspired words. These are some of the ideas that I've found helpful. The first four lines of the prayer speak of God and His allness: His divine parenting and His all-harmonious nature. They establish His presence and acknowledge His will being done everywhere. The prayer goes on to show how these truths meet our needs, with "give us," "forgive us," "lead us," "deliver us." Then it turns right back to God, affirming the reign of His kingdom, power, and glory, forever. What a complete circle of prayer. And it covers everything!

"Our Father which art in heaven" fixes the nature of God and man: God is Spirit, and makes His child spiritual. "Our Father" is not a sickness-sending Parent, because a loving Father gives only good to His child. Man's divine heredity is established here, all fear is eliminated, and the brotherhood of man is revealed.

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